What are Mycotoxins, and how do they form?
Mycotoxin is derived from the Greek word “mykes,” which means fungi, and the Latin word “toxicum,” which means poison. Mold is a common Fungi that grows on certain agricultural products before and after harvest.While some molds are safe (think blue cheese), others produce toxins that have the potential to cause serious health issues (think moldy bread).
Mycotoxins are found on a variety of crops, including “cereals (corn, sorghum, wheat, and rice), oilseeds (soybean, peanut, sunflower, and cotton seeds), spices (chili peppers, black pepper, coriander, turmeric, and ginger), tree nuts (pistachio, almond, walnut, coconut, and Brazil nuts),” and coffee (source).
Molds thrive in tropical environments, where the warm, humid weather creates ideal conditions for their proliferation. Coincidentally, these regions also provide the perfect environment for coffee cultivation, spanning Latin America, Central America, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Two prevalent mycotoxins found in coffee beans are Aflatoxins and Ochratoxins. For those seeking a healthier and safer coffee option, DAYES Enzyme Fermented Coffee stands out. Rigorously tested to be toxins-free, it offers a mold-free alternative to traditional coffee brands.
Health Risks of Consuming Mycotoxins Found in Coffee
When people purchase coffee, they often assume that it is safe and free of toxins and chemicals. However, mycotoxins can remain in coffee throughout the production process and remain a significant concern for consumers who trust manufacturers to ensure that mycotoxins stay within safe limits.
Ochratoxin A
The World Health Organization has identified coffee as a food product containing mycotoxins. Ochratoxin A, a mycotoxin found in coffee beans, is known to cause Kidney damage and may affect fetal development and the immune system. The scientific community has extensively studied the toxic effects of Ochratoxin A on the Kidney and Liver.According to a 2015 study in Portugal, Ochratoxin A has a slow elimination rate of 35 days in humans. This is concerning as coffee is often consumed daily, which leads to the potential for mycotoxin to build up over a long period of time. This means there is an elevated risk of mycotoxin exposure in coffee due to the frequency at which people consume the drink.
Aflatoxins
Another commonly found mycotoxin in Coffee is Aflatoxins. According to the FDA, “Aflatoxins are potent toxins and known carcinogens,” and they “are also known to cause liver damage and liver failure in animals.”According to the Center for Disease Control, a mycotoxin outbreak in Kenya in 2004 led to 125 reported deaths. A staple food, maize, was detected to have high levels of Aflatoxins (source). These patients presented with jaundice, which is consistent with the findings that Aflatoxins damage liver function. Several Aflatoxin outbreaks have occurred in history, the majority in developing countries where agricultural products contaminated with mycotoxins were consumed by humans and livestock.
While the FDA does publish guidelines on acceptable mycotoxin levels in certain foods, no governing body certifies food products as mycotoxin-free. The coffee industry has imposed the onus on customers to educate themselves on which coffee brands regularly screen their beans for mycotoxins.
Not all mold-free Coffee is Created Equal.
Several coffee bars on the market today indicate on their packaging that they are mold-free or mycotoxin-free. However, as a coffee customer, it’s important to consider that not all companies are transparent about how they test for mycotoxins.How do you decide which mycotoxin-free Coffee is suitable for you?
Some points to consider when picking a brand:
- At what stage in the coffee production are mycotoxins tested?
- How often does testing occur?
- What grade of coffee beans are used?
- How is testing conducted?
1. At What Stage of Coffee Production Are Mycotoxins Tested?
The answers to these questions significantly affect whether coffee is truly mold-free. First, it is important to test for mycotoxins before coffee is roasted. This tells you that there were no mycotoxins in the green coffee beans. Some coffee companies assume that coffee roasting kills off any mycotoxins that remain on the coffee beans.According to the Japan Bureau for Public Health, “Mycotoxins cannot be completely destroyed under normal cooking temperatures.” Coffee roasting does not guarantee that all mycotoxins will be killed off, especially lightly roasted coffee. However, medium dark or dark roast coffee is roasted at temperatures above 350F, which could be enough to kill off mycotoxins.
Choose brands that screen their coffee beans for mycotoxins before roasting to minimize risk. DAYES Enzyme Fermented Coffee is tested for mycotoxins prior to roasting and after enzyme fermentation to ensure that the coffee is mycotoxin-free before being roasted.
2. How Often Does Testing Occur?
The testing frequency is also a critical factor in ensuring coffee is mycotoxin-free. This is because each batch of coffee may originate from different farms in a particular region, and the agricultural practices may differ across growers. Each grower has their own unique way of processing their coffee.Therefore, every batch of coffee needs to be tested. DAYES Coffee randomly selects samples of each batch of coffee that’s imported and screens them for mycotoxins. This is of particular importance in the USA as we rely on imports of coffee beans.
Before deciding on a brand of mycotoxin Coffee, it is recommended to ask how often mycotoxin screening is completed. This will give you peace of mind that you will receive a mycotoxin-free product each time you drink a cup of coffee.
3. What grade of coffee beans are used?
When coffee is roasted, it is difficult to ascertain what grade of green beans were used. A good coffee brand will be transparent about which grade of beans they use to roast coffee. No coffee is created equal. So the next time you see a bargain bag of whole-bean coffee at the supermarket, it may be roasted with low-grade beans.
What’s the risk of using low-grade beans? There is a higher chance of mycotoxin exposure. Grade 1 beans are carefully sorted to ensure there are virtually no moldy or defective beans when they are exported from the coffee plantation. On the other hand, grade 2 or 3 beans are allowed to have a higher percentage of faulty beans per batch.
4. How is testing conducted?
Coffee brands that indicate they are mycotoxin-free typically rely on a third-party lab to test their coffee. The lab collects coffee samples and ships them to a food safety lab. The lab then tests the coffee beans and provides the brand with a report on its findings.While third-party testing ensures objective results, there are downsides to this method. Third-party testing is generally costly, so coffee brands may try to minimize the number of samples tested to lower costs. Third-party testing also tends to take a longer period of time, as labs receive contracts from other companies to test their products.
Another testing method is using in-house lab equipment. DAYES Coffee Roasters screens coffee for mycotoxins with third-party testing and their in-house lab. The downside to having your testing instruments is that it may be a costly investment for some brands. However, the benefits are that you can test for mycotoxins as frequently as necessary, and results can be obtained within a day without waiting for a lab report. This ensures you can react quickly if any mycotoxins are detected and provide consistent testing throughout the coffee production.
Proper Coffee Storage to Prevent Mycotoxins
In warmer, humid climates or during the spring and summer months in colder climates, it is essential to store coffee properly to prevent mold growth.Here are some tips to make sure coffee stays not only fresh but also safe to consume:
- Store coffee in an airtight container/bag to prevent moisture around the beans
- Keep beans away from humid environments and store them in a cool, dry place (i.e., the pantry)
- Consider freezing your coffee beans if you live in a hot climate. Frequent opening and closing of coffee containers will introduce moisture into the beans.
Case Study: Mycotoxin Testing with DAYES Enzyme Fermented Coffee
DAYES Coffee Roasters produces America’s only enzyme-fermented, mycotoxin-free coffee.The green coffee beans are fermented with an enzyme complex in South Korea. Still, the company is building its enzyme fermentation facility in upstate New York and plans to ferment its beans in the last quarter of 2024.
DAYES Coffee implements a double-testing process to screen its enzyme-fermented coffee for mycotoxins. The fermented green coffee beans are tested for mycotoxins in South Korea by a government-approved laboratory focusing on aflatoxin and ochratoxins. This third-party testing was conducted before the beans were shipped to New York State via ocean freight. The results showed no traces of mycotoxins in the coffee.
Once the green coffee beans arrive at DAYES Coffee Roasters in Middletown, New York, they are tested once more with their own in-house lab. For every batch of enzyme-fermented green beans imported from Korea, DAYES Coffee randomly draws ten samples from every shipment and tests them for mycotoxins. So far, every batch has been clear of aflatoxins and ochratoxins.
Dr. Grant Lee, the CEO of DAYES Coffee and a retired cancer pathologist, believes that there are two main reasons why DAYES Coffee is mycotoxin-free. First, Dr. Lee insists on using high-quality, grade-one coffee beans. Despite the higher cost, these beans are grown under strict agricultural safety practices, with damaged and rotten beans selected out. While cheaper beans may result in more savings, the end product would look just like the expensive beans; Dr. Lee believes that health and safety must come before profits.
Dr. Lee recommends that consumers beware of cheap coffee on the market. Companies will often buy lower-grade coffee beans from farms while indicating on the package that they are premium-quality beans. Once roasted, coffee beans are usually even colored, so it is more difficult to identify the grade of the coffee beans by their appearance after they have been roasted.
Secondly, DAYES Coffee is fermented with a 50-enzyme complex. Although the exact chemical mechanisms have yet to be studied, Dr. Lee believes that the fermentation process removes existing mycotoxins and inhibits their growth, so mycotoxins are not detected even before the coffee beans are roasted.
If companies decide to test for mycotoxins after roasting, it could be a sign that there may be existing mycotoxins in the green coffee beans. Therefore, Dr. Lee believes in testing for mycotoxins before roasting to give an accurate reading of how clean and safe the coffee beans are.
