What’s that Stuff?: Decaf coffee

According to the National Coffee Association, only 10% of adults in the US drink decaffeinated coffee daily. Recent regulation passed by the US Environmental Protection Agency has caused both consumers and advocacy groups to question whether the jitter-free beverage is safe to drink. The main concern is that one of the primary methods companies use to decaffeinate coffee involves methylene chloride, a solvent that has been linked to an increased risk of cancer and other adverse health effects. These health hazards prompted the EPA to ban most commercial uses of the solvent , which has been used in a variety of products, including adhesives and paint strippers. But the new EPA rule does not apply to the use of methylene chloride in food, since it’s outside the agency’s purview, so producers can still use the solvent to decaffeinate coffee. And the US Food and Drug Administration, which regulates this use