/ck/ - Food & Cooking

MORE MOLDY COFFEE FACTS
Studies on coffee and health don’t control for processing methods or the source of the beans. This means the coffee beans are almost always contaminated with mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins are damaging compounds created by molds which grow on coffee beans (among other things).
These compounds cause all sorts of health problems like cardiomyopathy, cancer, hypertension, kidney disease, and even brain damage.
They also make your coffee taste bitter, like it needs sugar.

There are many different types of mycotoxins, but the ones most relevant to coffee crops are called Aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A.
Aflatoxin B1 is a well known carcinogen and has been shown to have various harmful effects.
Ochratoxin A has been less studied, but it is believed to be a weak carcinogen and may also be harmful to the brain and kidneys.

However… it’s important to keep in mind that “the dose makes the poison” and mycotoxin levels in foods are tightly regulated.
>mycotoxin levels in foods are tightly regulated.
TIGHTLY REGULATED MY ASS
You think greedy businesses will dispose of mold infected coffee beans, very unlikely, they will roasted it and sell it to unsuspecting suckers.
How would average coffee drinker know if coffee they buy by the cup was good coffee, same thing if your are buying grounded coffee, you have no idea if the beans had mold on it or not.

"Ochratoxin A has previously been associated with kidney disease and urothelia tumors in humans, and as such,
European legislation has set a maximum permitted level of 5 μg/kg for roasted coffee beans or ground coffee, and 10 μg/kg for soluble or instant coffee".
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/301759.php

Of course the BIG COFFEE INDUSTRY will tell us that don't worry the levels are low, no problem.But how do we really know,especially that there is no way for average consumer to visually inspect the coffee for presence of those toxic molds.
I think I'm going to stop drinking coffee