The Coffee Mycotoxin Myth

La Taza Habla: The Coffee Mycotoxin Myth

In this eye-opening episode of La Taza Habla, we dive deep into the pervasive myths surrounding mycotoxins in specialty coffee. Join your host as he unpacks the real science behind ochratoxin A (OTA) and other naturally occurring byproducts from certain molds, addressing the alarming claims that your morning brew is making you "toxic and sick". We'll explore why these scare tactics, often spread online, are largely unfounded, especially when it comes to coffee roasting and rigorous industry quality controls. Discover how the intense heat of coffee roasting effectively destroys a significant amount of mycotoxins, with up to 96% of OTA eliminated at 392 degrees Fahrenheit. Learn about the strict global mandates and established best practices that ensure the safety of your bean to cup experience, from wet processing to green bean grading. This episode provides the facts you need to confidently separate reality from fear-based marketing, revealing that typical coffee consumption results in incredibly low mycotoxin intake – often less than 3% of the safe daily limit. Understand why common effects like jitteriness are due to caffeine's well-understood pharmacology, not mysterious toxins. Tune in to arm yourself with the truth and enjoy your coffee with peace of mind.

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5 Takeaways:

1. Coffee Roasting is a "Kill Step" for Mycotoxins: Roasting coffee at about 392 degrees Fahrenheit for even ten minutes can effectively destroy up to 96% of OTA (Ochratoxin A), the mycotoxin most commonly associated with coffee. This is a significant "kill step" backed by multiple peer-reviewed research studies.
2. Global Regulations & Industry Practices Ensure Safety: Most countries around the world have clear mandate limits for mold toxins in coffee. While the FDA in the US specifically regulates some toxins, the industry's existing quality controls, including wet processing and strict green bean grading, are far more rigorous than some authors suggest, reducing mycotoxin levels before beans even hit the roaster.
3. Jitteriness is Caffeine, Not Toxins: Claims that toxins in coffee cause jitteriness and "coffee rage" are easily explained by caffeine's well-understood pharmacology, which can make you feel a little jittery or super focused.
4. Mycotoxin Exposure from Coffee is Extremely Low: Studies consistently show that our global intake of OTA through coffee is incredibly low, often less than 3% of the safe daily limit by authorities like the European Food Safety Authority.
5. Reaching Harmful Levels is Practically Impossible: To truly put the risk into perspective, a typical adult would need to drink approximately 410,000 cups of coffee per day to even begin to approach harmful levels of mycotoxins from coffee.

3 Questions:

1. Before listening to this episode, what were your beliefs about mycotoxins in coffee? Did anything surprise you?

2. What's one new fact you learned about coffee roasting or coffee safety that you'll share with a friend?

3. What other coffee myths or health concerns about coffee would you like us to address in future episodes?

Glossary of Terms:

• Mycotoxins: Natural byproducts from certain molds.
• Ochratoxin A (OTA): The chief mycotoxin most commonly mentioned and associated with coffee.
• Specialty Coffee: Refers to high-quality coffee beans, often distinguished by rigorous grading and processing standards.
• Coffee Roasting: The process of applying heat to green coffee beans to transform them into roasted coffee, which significantly reduces mycotoxin levels.
• Bean to Cup: A phrase referring to the entire journey of coffee from its raw bean form through processing, roasting, and brewing, to the final beverage in your cup.
• Wet Processing: A method of coffee processing where the fruit is removed from the coffee cherry before drying, which can help reduce initial mycotoxin levels.
• Green Bean Grading: The process of inspecting and sorting unroasted (green) coffee beans based on quality, which helps reduce initial mycotoxin levels before roasting.
• Pharmacology: The branch of medicine concerned with the uses, effects, and modes of action of drugs. In this context, it refers to the well-understood effects of caffeine on the body.

Measured Mycotoxin Levels vs. Safety Thresholds":

• Ochratoxin A (OTA) in Roasted Beans: Typical levels found in specialty coffee range from 0.4–3.2 µg/kg. The EU limit for OTA is 5 µg/kg, meaning typical levels are 36–92% below the limit

• OTA After Brewing: In a coffee beverage, OTA levels are typically ≤0.7 µg/kg. This provides less than 3% of the Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake (PTDI) set by JECFA for a 4-cup consumer.

• Aflatoxin B1 Post-Roast: Levels are often undetectable up to 0.8 µg/kg. This is at least 96% below the FDA limit of 20 µg/kg for total aflatoxins.

• To Reach Harmful Levels: A typical 70 kg adult would need to drink approximately 410,000 cups of coffee per day to even begin to approach harmful levels of mycotoxins from coffee. This makes reaching the PTDI practically impossible through normal coffee consumption.

   

Popular Claims vs. Scientific Findings":

• Claim: "80–90% of coffee is dangerously moldy."
  • Reality: A systematic review showed that ≥95% of samples were under EU limits, with only 2 studies exceeding them.

• Claim: "If you pee fast after coffee, that’s toxins."
  • Reality: Caffeine is a proven diuretic, causing increased urination. Ochratoxin A (OTA) clears slowly, not via immediate urination.

• Claim: "U.S. has zero regulations [for mold in coffee]."
  • Reality: The FDA enforces a 20 ppb aflatoxin limit, and OTA is monitored under the FD&C Act.

• Claim: "Mycotoxins cause jitters & coffee rage."
  • Reality: Normal caffeine pharmacology easily explains symptoms like jitters and focus.

• Claim: "Our lab-tested coffee is the only safe option."
  • Reality: Specialty grading (which includes zero primary defects) and the roasting process already significantly reduce OTA by 69–96%.