Clean Label Project
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Our Staff
    • Our Board of Directors
    • Our Technical Advisers
    • Our Sponsors
  • Our Awards & Certifications
    • Transparency Project
    • Antioxidant Superiority Award
    • Clean Label Project Certification
    • First 1,000 Day Promise Certification
    • Pesticide Free Award
    • Purity Award
    • THC Free
    • Transparency Project Certification
    • Natural Wine Certification
  • Advocacy
    • Prop 65 for CA Consumers
    • Baby
    • Beverages
    • Cleaning
    • Food
    • Health & Fitness
    • Personal Care
    • Pet Food
    • Best/Worst
      • The Best & Worst Protein Powder Products
      • The Best & Worst CBD Products
      • The Best & Worst Baby Food Products
  • CLPA: Baby Coalition
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
    • Blog
    • Media Coverage
    • Coming Clean Podcast
    • Press Releases
  • Donate
close
  • Home
  • Search Product
  • Awards & Certifications
    • Transparency Project
    • Antioxidant Superiority Award
    • Clean Label Project Certification
    • Pesticide Free Award
    • Purity Award
    • THC Free
    • Transparency Project Certification
  • Advocacy Partners
    • Prop 65 for CA Consumers
    • Baby
    • Beverages
    • Cleaning
    • Food
    • Health & Fitness
    • Personal Care
    • Pet Food
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Our Staff
    • Our Board of Directors
    • Our Technical Advisers
    • Our Sponsors
  • Best Worst
    • The Best & Worst Hemp-Based Products
  • Contact Us

Are There Chemicals in Your Decaffeinated Coffee?

  1. Home>
  2. Are There Chemicals in Your Decaffeinated Coffee?

Are There Chemicals in Your Decaffeinated Coffee?

Methylene Chloride is an active ingredient in paint stripper that was recently banned by the EPA. The FDA currently allows methylene chloride to be used in some coffee decaffeination processes and brands are not required to disclose the decaffeination process on their label.

There is an alternative water-based process that doesn’t require chemicals, but many major brands continue to use the chemical process anyway.

What is troubling is that many vulnerable populations like pregnant women, the elderly, and people with heart disease are regular decaf consumers.

Consumers deserve to know how their decaf is made and if they are getting chemicals in their coffee.

Clean Label Project investigated to see if methylene chloride was showing up in the decaf coffee products that people purchase.

CHEMICAL PROCESS

Many coffee manufacturers still use chemicals like methylene chloride – commonly used in paint removers – to strip away caffeine.

Solvent-based decaffeination

uses chemicals or carbon dioxide.

Brands don’t have to disclose their process on the label. Demand that they do.

#DetoxYourDecaf

WATER-BASED PROCESS

We don’t need chemicals to drink decaffeinated coffee!

Water-based decaffeination processes

use water and rely on time and temperature.

Look for solvent-free, chemical-free, Swiss-water, or certified organic labeled decaf.

THE PROBLEM

Methylene Chloride is an active ingredient in paint stripper that was recently banned by the EPA. However, the FDA currently allows methylene chloride to be used in the coffee decaffeination process and brands are not even required to disclose the decaffeination process on their label.

View Decaf Infographic
View Decaf White Paper
Search Brands
Take Action!

BRANDS TESTED INCLUDE:

DETECTED

AMAZONFRESH

Decaffeinated Colombia

CAFÉ BUSTELO

Decaffeinated Café Molido

GEVALIA KAFFE

Decaffeinated House Blend

GREAT VALUE

Decaffeinated Classic Roast

GREEN MOUNTAIN COFFEE ROASTERS

Decaffeinated Breakfast Blend

KIRKLAND SIGNATURE

Decaffeinated Dark Roast

KROGER

Decaffeinated Classic

MAXWELL HOUSE

Decaffeinated The Original Roast

PEET’S COFFEE

Decaffeinated House Blend

SEATTLE’S BEST

Decaffeinated Portside Blend

NOT DETECTED

ALLEGRO COFEE

Decaffeinated Organic French Roast

ARCHER FARMS

Decaffeinated House Blend

CARIBOU COFFEE

Decaffeinated Caribou Blend

COMMUNITY COFFFEE

Decaffeinated Café Special

DAZBOG COFFEE

Decaffeinated French Roast

DUNKIN’ DONUTS

Decaffeinated Medium Roast

FOLGERS

Decaffeinated Classic

ILLY

Decaffeinated Illy Blend

KICKING HORSE COFFEE

Decaffeinated Dark

NESCAFÉ

Decaffeinated House Blend

PEET’S COFFEE

Decaffeinated Major Dickason’s Blend

STARBUCKS

Decaffeinated House Blend + Decaffeinated Caffè Verona

THE ORGANIC COFFEE CO.

Decaffeinated Organic Gorilla

TIM HORTONS

Decaffeinated Medium Roast

HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR CHEMICAL-FREE DECAFFEINATED COFFEE

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Read the labels

Look for claims on product packaging such as solvent-free, chemical-free, Swiss-water, or certified organic. These decaffeination approaches don’t use harsh chemicals.

Use your voice

Contact your favorite decaf brand via email, social media, or phone (we’ve provided numbers to popular brands) to ask for information about their decaffeination process.

Speak to your doctor

If you’re concerned about your exposure to methylene chloride or have questions about your caffeine exposure, speak with your doctor.

Join the Movement

Have your opinion heard!
Reach out to brands and tell them you expect better or let them know you appreciate them for choosing a chemical-free decaffeination process.

Is your favorite product missing from our list?
Contact the brand and demand to know more about their decaffeination process

Allegro Coffee303-444-4844
Archer Farms (Target)800-440-0680
Caribou Coffee1-888-227-4268
Community Coffee800-884-5282
DAZBOG Coffee1-888-932-9264
Dunkin’ Donuts800-447-0013
Folgers800-937-9745
Illy1-877-469-4559
Kicking Horse Coffee1-888-287-5282
Nescafe800-637-8531
Peet’s Coffee800-999-2132
Starbucks800-782-7282
The Organic Coffee Co.800-829-1300
Tim Hortons1-888-601-1616
Kirkland (Costco)800-774-2678
Maxwell House800-432-6333
Peet’s Coffee800-999-2132
Seattle’s Best800-611-7793
AmazonFresh (Amazon)1-888-280-4331
Café Bustelo800-990-9039
Gevalia Kaffe800-438-2542
Great Value (Amazon)800-925-6278
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters1-866-901-2739
Kroger800-576-4377

Latest News

Clean Label Project Announces Lawsuits Against Five of the Largest Coffee Brands for Including Paint Stripper Ingredient in Best-Selling Decaffeinated Products

Publication: AP PR Newswire

There’s a Scary Ingredient Lurking in Decaf Coffees from Keurig, Maxwell House, and More

Author: Kiersten Hickman | Publication: Eat This, Not That!

Decaf coffee investigation finds methylene chloride in several products

Author: Rachael Harper | Publication: New Food

Clean Label Project Takes Aim at Chemical Used in Some Coffee Decaffeination

Author: Nick Brown | Publication: Daily Coffee News

Can You Drink Coffee While Pregnant?

Author: Lisa Milbrand & Nicole Harris | Publication: Parents.com

Decaf, Methylene Chloride, and Royal Coffee

Author: Chris Kornman | Publication: RoyalCoffee.com

Chemical Banned in Paint Strippers Discovered in Decaf Coffee

Author: Susan Patterson | Publication: Alternative Daily

Wake-Up Call

Publication: Organic Consumers Association

Decaffeinated Coffee & Methyl Chloride–Best & Worst Decaf Coffee Brands

Author: Mamavation | Publication: Leah Segedie

Clean Label Project Launches New Site Shedding Light on Major Brands Chemically Decaffeinating Coffee

Publication: Clean Label Project

7 On Your Side: Chemical banned in paint stripper found in decaf coffee, court docs state

Author: Lisa Fletcher | Publication: ABC7

Certificate

Filename download link

Connect with us

Want to Get Certified? Email us at: info@cleanlabelproject.org
© 2023 Copyright Clean Label Project™ All Rights Reserved
Clean Label Project™ 280 E. 1st Ave. #873 Broomfield, CO 80038-0873

Clean Label Project™ is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization
  • FAQ
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS AND CONDITIONS