Global health experts have warned that very hot drinks probably cause cancer.
World Health Organisation researchers found that drinks consumed at 65C or above are likely to cause cancer of the oesophagus.
However, they said it was the sheer temperature of the drinks that meant they were linked to the disease.
There was “no conclusive evidence” that coffee itself causes cancer, as previous studies had claimed.
The findings were announced by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the WHO.
Dr Christopher Wild, director of IARC, said: “These results suggest that drinking very hot beverages is one probable cause of oesophageal cancer and that it is the temperature, rather than the drinks themselves, that appears to be responsible.”
The IARC said in a statement: “Studies in places such as China, Iran, Turkey and South America, where tea or mate is traditionally drunk very hot (at about 70C) found the risk of oesophageal cancer increased with the temperature at which the beverage was drunk.
“Drinking very hot beverages at above 65C was classified as 'probably' carcinogenic to humans.”
Drinks in the UK, Europe and North America were typically drunk at 60C and below, with tea a bit higher at 60C to 65C.
