You grab a bag of roasted almonds at the grocery store and freeze. There it is again. That warning label telling you this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer.
Your heart sinks. You put the almonds back and walk away feeling defeated. As your oncology dietitian, I see this happen with my clients all the time. These Prop 65 warnings show up on everything from coffee to furniture to your favorite snacks.
As The Cancer Dietitian let me walk you through what Prop 65 actually is, why it causes more confusion than clarity, and what you really need to focus on for your health.
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Before we dive in, I want you to have something that actually helps. The Clean Scan Plan is built around my NED Method 5-Pillar Approach. It covers nutrition, exercise, hydration, sleep, and self-care. These are the things that truly matter for reducing cancer risk.
What Is California’s Prop 65?
California’s Proposition 65, officially the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, became law in 1986. Voters approved it with good intentions. The goal was straightforward: protect drinking water from toxic contamination.
Over time, the law expanded far beyond that original purpose to include consumer products and foods.
Today, Prop 65 requires businesses with 10 or more employees to place warning labels on products that contain any chemical on California’s list of “potentially harmful” substances. That list, maintained by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, now includes over 900 chemicals.
Here’s the core problem:
Prop 65 warnings are based on chemical presence, not actual risk.
The law does not consider dose, exposure level, or real-world consumption. A substance can trigger a warning even if the amount present is far below anything shown to cause harm.
As a result, products ranging from coffee to vegetables to cookware carry the same alarming warning language.
Instead of informing consumers, Prop 65 often creates confusion and unnecessary fear, making it harder for people to understand what actually poses a meaningful health risk — and what doesn’t.
Common Products and Foods With Prop 65 Warnings
You will find Prop 65 warnings on a surprising range of items. Foods that commonly carry these labels include:
- French fries and potato chips
- Roasted nuts and coffee
- Bread crusts and toast
- Breakfast cereals and crackers
- Canned black olives
- Roasted vegetables
Consumer products like furniture, cleaning supplies, and even vehicle parts also carry these warnings. The labels appear everywhere in California. Because of online shopping, you see them across the country now too.
How Chemicals Get Added to the Prop 65 List
Knowing how chemicals end up on this list helps explain why the warnings can be misleading. A chemical gets added when certain health organizations classify it as potentially harmful.
These include the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the National Toxicology Program, and the World Health Organization.
Here is what many people do not realize. Much of the evidence used comes from animal studies using extremely high doses.
We are talking about doses that no human would ever encounter through normal eating. The studies often use amounts 1,000 to 100,000 times higher than what you would get from food.
As The Oncology Dietitian, I want you to understand this key point. What happens in a lab rat given massive doses of a chemical tells us very little about what happens when you eat a piece of toast. The dose makes the poison. Water can harm you if you drink too much of it. That does not mean water is dangerous.
Hazard vs. Risk: The Critical Distinction Prop 65 Misses
Hazard and risk are not the same thing.
A hazard is something that has the potential to cause harm. A risk is the likelihood that harm will actually occur given your real exposure.
Prop 65 identifies hazards without considering the actual risk at normal exposure levels.
Think of it this way. A car is a hazard. It could potentially hurt you. But the risk of being hurt depends on many factors.
Are you driving safely? Is the car well-maintained? Are you wearing a seatbelt?
The hazard exists, but your actual risk may be very low. The same applies to chemicals in food.
If you’re ready for expert, personalized support, apply here for: VIP 1:1 Cancer nutrition & Lifestyle Coaching with me today so you don’t have to second guess everything after cancer and at every meal.
Why Prop 65 Warnings Are Often Misleading
Businesses often add Prop 65 warnings even when their products are completely safe. Why? Because defending against a lawsuit is expensive. It is cheaper and easier to just slap a warning label on everything.
This has led to what researchers call warning fatigue. When you see warnings on virtually every product, the warnings lose their meaning. You become numb to them. This actually makes things worse because you might ignore warnings that do matter.
The warning label also tells you nothing about:
- How much of the chemical is in the product
- Your actual exposure level
- Whether that exposure poses any real health risk
- How the product compares to other things you encounter daily
A Prop 65 warning does not mean a product violates any safety standard. It does not mean the product is unsafe. It simply means a chemical from the list is present, possibly in amounts far too small to matter.
Take Control of Your Health Journey
This is exactly why I created The Clean Scan Plan. I want to give you something that has helped thousands of survivors find clarity and confidence. This guide breaks down the exact steps you need to reduce cancer risk and feel empowered about your health. No more fear. Just facts.
What Cancer Survivors Should Actually Focus On
As The Oncology Dietitian with over 15 years of experience, let me tell you what actually matters for cancer prevention. It is not avoiding every product with a warning label. It is not spending hours reading ingredient lists in fear.
The things that genuinely affect cancer risk are:
- Maintaining a healthy body weight
- Limiting alcohol (any amount increases risk of several cancers)
- Avoiding processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats
- Eating enough fiber (aim for 30 grams or more daily)
- Staying physically active
- Not smoking
In The Cancer Healing Vault, I show survivors how to focus on what truly matters. One client told me: “This wasn’t just nutrition coaching. It was a lifeline. For the first time since cancer, I feel in control, confident, and deeply supported.”.
Remember, a warning label does not mean a product is unsafe. It means California requires businesses to disclose the presence of certain chemicals, regardless of whether the amount poses any real threat.
How I Help My Clients Navigate Food Confusion
I help cancer survivors stop the endless cycle of food fear. You deserve to eat without second-guessing every bite. You deserve peace at mealtimes instead of panic.
Here is what another client shared: “I spent months second-guessing every meal. Now I know exactly what supports my body, and the anxiety is gone.”
In my VIP 1:1 Cancer Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching, I give you evidence-based guidance that cuts through the confusion. No more conflicting information. No more unnecessary restrictions. Just science-backed strategies that actually reduce cancer risk.
The Bottom Line on Prop 65
Prop 65 was created with good intentions. Protecting people from toxic chemicals is a worthy goal. But the law has created more confusion than clarity.
Warning labels appear on products that pose no real risk at normal exposure levels. This leaves cancer survivors stressed about foods that are perfectly safe to eat.
As The Oncology Dietitian, I want you to stop fearing your food. You have been through so much already. You do not need to carry the extra burden of unfounded food fears. Let me help you find peace and confidence in your eating again.
People Also Ask
Are Products with Prop 65 Warning Safe?
Yes, products with Prop 65 warnings are safe at normal use levels. The warning means a listed chemical is present, not that the product is dangerous. Many businesses add warnings to avoid lawsuits, even when exposure levels pose no real health risk. A Prop 65 label does not mean a product violates safety standards.
What Does P65 Do in the Body?
P65 itself does not do anything in the body. Proposition 65 is a California law, not a substance. The law requires warnings about chemicals that may cause cancer or reproductive harm. Whether a specific chemical affects your body depends on the chemical type, exposure level, and duration. Most labeled products contain amounts too small to cause harm.
Is Prop 65 Only in California?
Prop 65 is a California state law, but you see warnings nationwide because of online shopping. Products shipped to California need labels, so many companies label all their products. Other states do not require these warnings. The law only applies to businesses selling in California, but its effects reach across the country through e-commerce.
Ready to Feel More Confident About Your Scans?
Healing does not stop when treatment ends. The Clean Scan Plan helps you build lasting habits around food, hydration, movement, sleep, and stress. These are the pillars that reduce recurrence risk and restore peace of mind. Join thousands of survivors who have found clarity and confidence.
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References
- https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/about-proposition-65
- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/chemicals/acrylamide.html
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/acrylamide-fact-sheet
- https://www.fda.gov/food/process-contaminants-food/acrylamide
- https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/5-facts-about-acrylamide-and-food-and-cancer-risk.h00-159538167.html
- https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/
- https://www.aicr.org/
