If you have read anything about mycotoxins in coffee you might have come across the polarised viewpoints. On one hand you have people like Dave Asprey talking about the dangers of mycotoxins in coffee and how most coffee has harmful levels of mold and mycotoxins. Are Coffees In America Full Of Mold? | Dave Asprey
And at the other end you have other coffee companies and experts suggesting that it is all over-hyped and that it isn't really a significant problem with articles like "The myth of mycotoxins in coffee"
So is it a problem or not?
Like many things in this polarized world, the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle, and depends on a few factors. We don't think that all coffee that isn't tested is dangerous to everyone, but we do feel that for some people drinking coffee with even moderate levels of mycotoxins can affect their health negatively. There is also a subset of the population who are very sensitive to mycotoxins, and when they drink coffee with significant mycotoxins then they feel symptoms come on immediately. This is where having coffee that has been tested for mycotoxin can be important
In this blog, we’ll explore how mycotoxins can end up in coffee and why choosing a mycotoxin-tested option may be a wise choice, especially if you’re someone who is sensitive, or if you notice symptoms after your morning coffee.
NOTE: If you are dealing with health symptoms, and wondering if mould is contributing to them we recommend you doing the mould illness questionnaire. For the majority of people dealing with mould illness, water-damaged buildings are the primary source of mould and mycotoxin exposure, but reducing exposure from food is an important part of the healing journey.
Book a free 15 minute call if you want to discuss your health situation, or the results of your questionnaire.
What Are Mycotoxins?
Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxic compounds that are produced by certain types of moulds. They are produced as a defence mechanism and can be extremely toxic. There are numerous studies showing how toxic these can be to both animals and humans.
Mould can grow on crops like coffee beans, particularly when they're stored improperly in humid or damp conditions. Once these toxins are present, they can remain in the beans even after roasting and brewing. Roasting can remove a fair bit of mycotoxins, but the amount varies hugely in studies from 20% to 90%.
While many people can consume coffee without any noticeable effects, others—especially those who are sensitive to mould, or just sensitive in general—may find that mycotoxins can lead to symptoms like fatigue, headaches, anxiety or digestive issues.
How Mycotoxins Get Into Coffee
The process of growing, harvesting, and storing coffee can create ideal conditions for mould growth. If beans are not properly dried or are stored in areas with high humidity, mould can take hold and start producing mycotoxins. Once the coffee reaches your cup, those mycotoxins may still be present.
This isn't new news. The first study on mycotoxins in coffee was done in the 1980s. More studies were done in the 1990s and some concerns were raised about the mycotoxin levels in coffee. This led to a companies being more aware of the storage and processing factors that may lead to mould and mycotoxins forming. One method that is used to reduce mycotoxins is called Wet processing. Wet processing means the skin is removed and the coffee is immediately washed to remove the pulp.
What is Ochratoxin A?
Ochratoxin A is the most common mycotoxin found in coffee (and other foods) and is produced by certain Aspergillus and Penicillum mould species. These moulds can form and create the toxin when the moisture and temperature levels are just right.
Ochratoxin A is a known carcinogen, and particularly toxic to the kidneys. It can also be toxic to the immune system, gut, nervous system and causes oxidative stress. While exposure to water damaged building is far more likely to cause these symptoms, it is possible for ochratoxin from food exposure to contribute to these as well.
Dr Jil Crista lists these common symtoms from ochratoxin exposure on her website
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Headache, migraine
- Low appetite or nausea
- Chemical sensitivity
- Itchy skin
- Frequent urination
- Edema
- High blood pressure
- Chest pain
- Muscle weakness and/or cramps
- Exercise intolerance
- Frequent infections
- Reduced Albumin and/or GFR on blood tests
Is there a safe level?
While many countries like New Zealand and the USA don't have set standards for mycotoxins in coffee, the EU did set limits of Ochratoxin levels in their
European Commission Regulation (EU) No. 105 in 2010. The original standards were set at 5 ug/kg (or part per billion) for roasted and ground coffee and 10 ug/kg for soluble or instant coffee.
In 2023 they have updated the Ochratoxin limits to 3ug/kg for roasted/ground and 5 ug/kg for soluble/instant due to further concerns about the health impact of mycotoxins.
If the EU has concerns about the ochratoxin levels for the general population, then we think there is definitely cause to be concerned about the levels for someone who is more susceptible to mycotoxin exposure. Companies who test for mycotoxins generally try and keep the levels below the minimum testing threshold of 1 -1.25 ug/kg to consider it "Mycotoxin free". We prefer to call the coffee we sell "Mycotoxin-tested" as there is a chance that there are trace levels of mycotoxins that arent detected, or other mycotoxins that aren't tested for.
Our story
While we were living in mould (but not aware of it), we did try a USA brand of mycotoxin tested coffee and noticed that we felt better drinking it. This was likely because we were being exposed to mycotoxins and mould in the house, so our body was already dealing with it and was sensitive to mycotoxins. However once we moved out of the house into a new tiny home, and started improving from mould illness, we switched back to an organic supermarket brand. We didn't notice anything dramatic happen, so we carried on with this brand. However, more recently I noticed I was more allergic than normal and also had some eye strain when reading. Both of these can be symptoms of mould exposure (but can also be other things). l decided to try giving up coffee and after going through the withdrawal symptoms, I noticed an improvement in both symptoms. I couldn't go on without coffee forever (especially with Julia still drinking it) so I ordered some coffee from Byron Bay Coffee Company, who test their organic coffee for mycotoxins. The symptoms didn't return so we decided to carry on drinking mycotoxin-tested coffee.
This is just a n=1 experiment, and everyone is different but as I am very sensitive to both mycotoxins and environmental toxins, it was worth paying the bit extra for tested coffee. Since we have added mycotoxin tested coffee to our online shop, we have had similar feedback from clients who feel better drinking this coffee.
What does the research say?
Several studies have indicated that ochratoxin A (OTA) can be present in coffee at concerning levels:
1. A 1995 study found OTA in 13 out of 25 green coffee bean samples analysed. The researchers also detected OTA in coffee brews, suggesting that regular coffee consumption may contribute to human OTA exposure[1].
2. A 2009 study by Batista et al. found that 56% of 128 different coffee samples contained OTA. This study highlighted the risk of cross-contamination in processing centers with coffee swept from the ground testing higher for OTA [2].
3. A meta-analysis published in 2022 found that the overall prevalence of OTA in coffee products was 58.01%. The highest concentrations were found in samples from the Philippines (39.55 μg/kg), Turkey (39.32 μg/kg), and Panama (21.33 μg/kg)[3].
4. A systematic review covering studies from 1997 to 2024 found that out of 3256 coffee samples, OTA was detected in 1778 (54.6%). Two studies reported average OTA levels in roasted coffee exceeding the European Commission's maximum limit of 5 μg/kg[4].
5. An Italian study analyzing 162 green coffee bean samples found that 106 were positive for OTA, with concentrations ranging from 0 to 48 ppb. African samples showed higher contamination levels compared to other origins[5].
These studies suggest that OTA contamination in coffee is a potential issue especially if steps aren't taken to ensure the coffee doesn't grow mould
Citations:
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7759018/
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956713508002818
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36372738/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39259858/
[5] https://www.fao.org/4/x6939e/X6939e04.htm
A toxic world
Unfortunately, our world is becoming increasingly toxic. While our bodies have systems that are designed to deal with environmental toxins, there are huge demands placed on these detoxification systems in our modern world. There are also genetic
and epigenetic differences in how we are able to process and detoxify toxins, and some people struggle to adequately deal with the amount they are being exposed to.
There are many people who have a "high body burden" of environmental toxins and become more sensitive to compounds like mycotoxins. We are exposed up thousands of different chemicals each day and personally we like knowing that at least our cup of coffee isn't adding to this burden.
While the safe levels of mycotoxins in coffee remain a point of debate the goal for anyone concerned with their health is to remove as many toxicants as possible.
I like this quote from leading Functional Medicine Dr and author of
"The thing about toxin burden is it’s all about how it adds up within your body. Sure, there might be just a little mold in your coffee but add that to the 84,000 chemicals you may be exposed to each day and you’ve got a big problem. It’s up to you to decide where and how you’ll reduce your chemical burden – but one thing is for sure, we all need to work to reduce the amount of chemicals we’re exposed to.”
So there we have it. While making sure your indoor air quality is good is the first priority when looking at mycotoxins, there is a place for mycotoxin-tested coffee because most people who drink coffee drink it every day (often multiple times). Not every coffee drinker needs to switch to it but it's made a difference to our health, and we have many customers who have reported the same. Try it yourself and see if you notice the difference : )
In my opinion, toxin burden is THE biggest cause of declining health and accelerated aging today, so you might want to care anyway. The thing about toxin burden is it’s all about how it adds up within your body. Sure, there might be just a little mold in your coffee but add that to the 84,000 chemicals you’re exposed to each day and you’ve got a big problem. It’s up to you to decide where and how you’ll reduce your chemical burden – but one thing is for sure, we all need to work to reduce the amount of chemicals we’re exposed to.” jill carnahan