LOS ANGELES (CNN) - Morning coffee might soon come with a warning in California.
A lawsuit filed by the Council for Education and Research on Toxics in Los Angeles targets companies that make or sell coffee.
The state keeps a list of chemicals it considers possible causes of cancer, and one of them, acrylamide, is created when coffee beans are roasted.
According to the suit, the defendants "failed to provide clear and reasonable warning" that drinking coffee could expose people to acrylamide.
The suit seeks to impose fines and force the companies to post warnings.
The companies argued that acrylamide levels in coffee should be considered safe under state law and that the health benefits of coffee outweigh the risks.
At least 13 of the defendants have settled and agreed to give a warning.
Retailers that haven't already settled will meet for private mediation on Feb. 8.
Copyright 2018 CNN. All rights reserved. Raycom News Network contributed to this report.
