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Molds and Mycotoxins

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Molds and Mycotoxins
John H. Jan 27, 2020

Is There Fungus in Your Coffee?

Everybody wants to live a healthy lifestyle, and for lots of people, coffee is a part of that lifestyle. For a while, it seems, coffee had a bad rap. "It'll stunt your growth," they said. "It's bad for your heart, your nerves, your stomach!" Turns out those were stories started by a guy who wanted to sell more of his coffee alternative. Now, we're not endorsing serving coffee to your youngsters since it still contains caffeine, of course, but for adults, the consensus is that coffee isn't just not bad for you, but it might actually be good for you. (Note: FRC recommends always following the advice of your healthcare professional!)

But what about mycotoxins?

First of all, what is a mycotoxin? Basically it's a toxic substance produced by a fungus, and these toxins are found pretty much everywhere. Most cereals, spices, nuts, fresh and dried fruits, juices and wines, meats, cocoa and chocolate - and coffee beans! Does this mean your coffee is toxic? Of course not! In testing, scientists found that even if you took the "dirtiest" coffee, you would have to consume gallons a day - every day - to even come close to risking toxic levels.

We take great care in sourcing the highest-quality coffee beans. Our suppliers, whether they are farmers, co-ops, or exporters, have the same focus we do - providing only the best coffee for our customers. We contract with merchants that follow best practices for reducing the possibility of contamination. However, it's impossible to completely eliminate mycotoxins and any company that claims otherwise is being less than honest.

So coffee is okay? In short, yes. While we don't recommend drinking 25 cups a day (even though a recent study said it's OKAY to do so), your daily dose won't hurt you. Quite the opposite, according to many studies. Drinking moderate amounts of coffee is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and neurological diseases. It can encourage your body to burn fat and it improves your brain health.

We love coffee. We love people who love coffee. And we want you to know that we have the same concerns that you do. We're working every day to ensure you have not only the most delicious coffee available, but also the safest. That is why we've partnered with a leading microbiology and food safety lab to test some of our best-selling coffees for a full range of mold and mycotoxins. Our roasted Organic Mexican (pods) and our roasted Organic Guatemalan (pods) have both undergone a full screening and have been declared toxicologically safe and compliant. Our certified laboratory was not able to detect any trace levels of mold, Aflatoxin or Ochratoxcin in either of these sampled coffees.

To request more information about mold and mycotoxin testing, please email info@freshroastedcoffee.com.

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