The more we evolve, the more we understand how every choice we make ripples out and affects all aspects of our life. So when choosing your coffee you want to know what’s in it, or in this case more importantly what’s not in it.  

Let’s look at what coffee mold and mycotoxins are and how to avoid them.

First - What is a mycotoxin?

Mycotoxin is defined as any toxic substance produced by a fungus. Mold is a multicellular fungus that signals spoilage due to decay. The mold metabolites, the result of mold’s metabolism process, are called mycotoxins. The mold in coffee typically includes the mycotoxins ochratoxin A and aflatoxin B1.

Do all coffees have mycotoxins?

Based on this study, 45% of coffee beans commercially sold contained Ochratoxin A.

According to this study over 50% of green coffee beans contained Aflatoxin. These toxins can cause poisoning when you ingest too much of them. So yes, trace amounts of mycotoxins have been found in coffee beans, but the amounts are far below safety limits and too low to be of practical significance.

The health effects these mycotoxins can have on our overall toxic burden are worth taking note of, especially if you choose low-end, instant coffee, which has been shown to have the highest mold contents. Dr. Jill Carnahan puts it very well by saying:

"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.”

Different Molds growing on Green coffee

How to Avoid Mycotoxins In Your Coffee

One of the best ways to avoid toxic overload from your coffee is to source high-quality, organic coffee beans. Soil health is very important to us at Thanksgiving Coffee, and we work with farmers who do not use synthetic chemicals, such as potentially harmful pesticides and fungicides that pollute the soil.

The health of your coffee begins with how it is grown, how it is processed, stored, and ultimately how it is roasted.

The best option for those with a high mold sensitivity is to choose a wet-processed coffee. This means that the coffee cherry has been washed off and then dried, with a smaller chance of mold potential.

By the time the coffee beans have been roasted, the molds that produce the mycotoxins have all but been burned away. According to another study, roasting can reduce ochratoxin A levels by 69–96%.

Health Benefits of Thanksgiving Coffee

With one of the most robust and long-term supply chains within specialty coffee, Thanksgiving coffee works with the highest quality coffees in the world and you benefit from the health and flavor of this along our entire supply chain.

When you drink Thanksgiving Coffee, you can enjoy all the benefits that good coffee contains including over 1000 bioactive components. Including one of the best sources of antioxidants for many people's diets.

Alongside our farmers, co-ops, importers, and roasters we continue to implement and improve our coffee for the best health of the people and our planet. Still going strong and fuelled by our amazing coffee for over 50 years,  

In an upside-down world – sometimes the only thing right side up is a good cup of coffee. Enjoy the Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidative, Antifungal, Antifibrotic, Anticancer, and Delicious taste of Thanksgiving Coffee. 

More Resources:

Molds, Mycotoxins, and Coffee – Part I of II

Molds, Mycotoxins, and Coffee – Part II of II