What To Do In Case You Get An Allergic Reaction To Coffee Mold
To treat any allergic reaction you have there are some over the counter antihistamines available or your doctor can prescribe some anti-allergic medicine. Drowsiness can be a serious issue with antihistamines so beware. Nasal sprays could also be prescribed for reactions to coffee molds. If severe reactions occur, such as swelling of the airway and difficulty breathing, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
What Happens If You Inhale Moldy Coffee
In contrast, the toxins produced by mold spores pose a serious threat to humans.Human health can be negatively affected when inhaled or consumed due to the many effects of mold toxins.Aflatoxin B1 linked to liver cancer because of its possible role in the gut lining: Aflatoxin B1 linked to risk of lung cancer.
Why Ota Is Bad For You
OTA from any source including coffee is a problem because it is associated with cancer , brain damage and hypertension and kidney disease . In addition, immunosuppressive, teratogenic and carcinogenic effects have been reported for OTA . Another report says, The available evidence suggests that OTA is a genotoxic carcinogen by induction of oxidative DNA lesions coupled with direct DNA adducts . All of these studies were concluded from amounts far higher then what normally occurs in one single cup of coffee. However, there are risks to chronic exposure to low doses of this toxin over time, as youll read in the next paragraph.
Many studies of toxicity are performed on rodents, which use their livers to break down OTA. Humans use our kidneys instead, which makes the half-life of OTA in humans approximately 14 times longer than in rats . That means that the toxins in your daily cup of coffee can accumulate over time in your body, just as farmers know they do in pigs, the most OTA-sensitive animals after humans.
When it comes to human brain performance, there are some other quite concerning theories about how OTA causes damage in cells. One theory is that OTA causes an increase intracellular pH via a disruption in membrane anion conductance .
Or maybe its actually disrupting gap junction intercellular communication .
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Purity Coffee One Of The Best Mold And Mycotoxin Free Coffee Brands
While I go into greater detail about the requirements for a coffee to make the mold and mycotoxin free list, it is important to share that in a nutshell, it must be expertly sourced, properly roasted and stored, and third-party tested to ensure that is was both a mold free coffee but also a mycotoxin free coffee. In addition to that, the coffee needed to taste amazing.
Purity coffee is truly the only brand on the market that I 100% trust to be mold and mycotoxin free. There are many runner up brands of coffee out there that either show promise or make great claims but Purity coffee is truly in a league of its own. Lets take a look at what makes this mold and mycotoxin free coffee so special.
Coffee Bean Sourcing
Just 1% of the worlds beans meet Puritys standards. This is because the company considers it vital to know where coffee beans come from and they are never complacent in their sourcing. Purity sources sustainable coffee and they only select defect-free specialty grade beans. They only source from high-altitude, organically grown Arabica beans from farms around the world including Indonesia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, and Brazil. Purity only purchases what they need and never overbuys. .
Coffee Certifications
- SpecialtyGrade
- MycotoxinFree
Roasting Information
All beans are roasted in a smokeless machine controlledby a computer algorithm.
Purity Coffee roasts the beans the day you place yourorder.
Mold and Mycotoxin Testing
My Thoughts on Purity Coffee
What Can Happen If You Drink Moldy Coffee
Are coffee mold spores an associated with allergic ingestion k that ingesting coffee mold spores can trigger allergies? ?Yeah, well one cup of moldy coffee is all it takes to catch congestion, cough, headaches, sneezing, and watery eyes for just a couple of years.Coffee moldy even manifests flu-like symptoms and severe upper respiratory infections as soon as it is exposed to it.
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So Which Is Best Purity Coffee Or Natural Force Coffee
That is an impossible question because it really depends on your taste preferences. For me, Purity Coffee is a little more delicate in flavor and Natural Force is a little more robust. But the difference is very, very subtle. I actually happily drink both and shhhhdont tellbut sometimes I make a blend of the two coffee beans and it is AMAZING.
Now that we have taken a look at Purity and Natural Force, the best mold and mycotoxin free coffee brands, lets dig a little deeper into the science of mold free coffee.
Shipping Green Coffee Beans
Most of the time, green coffee beans travel weeks in many shipping containers before they reach the roastery. During the trip, they are packed in big burlap sacks. Whats the problem there, you might think?
Well, burlap is made of jute, which is basically cellulose. And guess where the most toxic mold grows on? You got itnatural fibers like cellulose. .
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Why Would There Be Mold In Coffee
There are several reasons why mold is guaranteed to be in most coffees on the market, but probably the most obvious reason is that coffee crops are raised in tropical climates. Mold species vary by climate and the type of food source available. The warmer and wetter the climate, the greater the variety of mold type and mold growth. Because coffee crops are tropical, they are exceedingly susceptible to mold growth and, subsequently, the disease-causing secondary metabolites known as mycotoxins and aflatoxins.
Secondly, mold spores teem in the millionsif not billionsin any given environment, which makes it next to impossible to ensure coffee beansundergoing the typical processes in the typical processing environmentswill be mold-free. This is especially an issue when coffee beans are spread out to dry in large open areas where coffee mold spores are sure to land and take root among the beans.
Thirdly, those typical processes and those typical processing environments make for a rather unavoidable cesspool of mold proliferation.
Sadly, not many consumers are aware of the process by which coffee canand usually doesharbor and proliferate the growth of mold. For instance, the main catalysts to mold growth and mycotoxin development in coffee bean production is the fermentation process, length of storage, and storage materials.
What Does All This Mean Is This Much Ado About Nothing Or Something
It’s important to note that while high levels of mycotoxins like ochratoxin can lead to negative health effects, a bunch of other foods can also contain these tiny toxinsâthe hard truth is that we’re probably already consuming them in small amounts.
That said, ochratoxin A might not be as great of a health risk as the amount of sugar people might add to their coffee. Like so many aspects of our food chain, there is incomplete information. That said, I wouldn’t sound the alarm yet, but I you might want to start being a coffee snob, or a qualitarian.
Until we have more data, I will continue to drink coffee, despite it’s potential ochratoxin content. The bottom line: It’s always best to ask questions and do your research about the food you put into your body, and coffee is no exception.
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What Is A Mycotoxin And Why Is It In My Coffee
Mycotoxins are the byproducts or toxins created by mold spores. Mold and mycotoxins can be found on many different food crops including, but not limited to, grains, nuts, spices, dried fruits, apples, and coffee beans. These molds and mycotoxins are most prevalent in warm, wet climates. Since coffee is grown in tropical climates, this contributes to the high percentage of coffee with mold and mycotoxins. The fact that coffee beans are harvested, fermented, and then stored in these warm, moist climates, which proliferates the mold even more.
Mold Mycotoxins And Yeastoh My
Aside from pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, there is another aspect of coffee cultivation that we need to be aware of. Mycotoxins! These are naturally occurring toxins that are produced by certain molds and fungi. They can be found in coffee, dried fruits, chocolate, and other common food crops.
The most prevalent mycotoxins found in coffee are Ochratoxin A and Aflatoxin B1. These are not purposely added, but rather, the contamination can happen at multiple stages of the coffee production process. Whether that be when the coffee cherries are growing, being stored, or transported. They are more typically found in lower-quality coffee brands.
In fact, one study showed that 91.7% of green coffee beans are contaminated with mold which is shocking!
Other terms you might hear about when it comes to clean coffee:
- Acrylamide is a naturally occurring chemical and its often found in cooked foods like bread, french fries, and cookies. The way coffee is roasted can alter the level of acrylamide . High levels of it have been shown to cause cancer in lab animals.
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons are compounds that might be present in roasted foods but are considered genotoxic and carcinogenic in humans. This is really only a concern with coffee if its roasted too extremely hot.
- Yeast can be used to naturally process the coffee after picking and sometimes residues are left behind.
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Your Coffee Maker Is Full Of Mold Here’s How To Clean It
We love nothing more than a good cup of coffee. But a good cup of mold? Not so energizing.
A 2011 study from NSF International found that about half of coffee makers had yeast and mold growing in their reservoirs. About one in ten were home to coliform bacteria. On average, home coffee reservoirs also had higher germ counts than both bathroom door handles and toilet seats.
And while the study tested only 22 households, germ specialist Kelly Reynolds said she doesn’t doubt the results.
” are certainly a moist environment where mold and bacteria are known to grow in high numbers,” said Reynolds, who studies household germs at the University of Arizona. “Our bodies can deal with them, but at some point they’ll grow to levels high enough to cause sickness.”
And contrary to what you may believe, hot water isn’t enough to get this gunk out.
We asked Carolyn Forté, director of the Home Appliances and Cleaning Products Lab at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, about the most effective way to clean your coffee maker. The magic ingredient turns out to be vinegar, which “decalcifies,” or removes the mineral buildup from tap water.
If you have a classic coffee maker, Forté says to give it a gentle cleaning every day and to decalcify it depending on how hard the water is where you live.
Similar rules apply for “pod-based machines” like Keurigs — debris can clog their many nooks and crannies, so they also benefit from a vinegar run-through every few months, Forté says.
Mold In A Coffee Maker Can Turn That Bean Water Into A Health Hazard
Coffee is one of those things in life that can divide a nation. There are coffee vs. tea lovers, milk vs. cream, sugar vs. no-sugar, black vs. additions You get the picture. And lets not even get started on all of the crazy options available for coffee machines. Basically, the coffee enthusiasts out there will stand by their cup of joe choices like a die-hard sports fanatic supporting their favorite team. Theres a dark side to this bean water, though, and its not the rich brown color. Mold in a coffee maker can make that daily dose of caffeine a serious health hazard.
Whether youre a Keurig, Nespresso, Ninja, or one of the other brands out there, these creators of coffee all have the potential to harbor harmful particles like that fungus among us. In fact, a 2011 study by the National Sanitation Foundation determined that coffee makers are the fifth germiest item in your kitchen.¹ Out of all the coffee maker reservoirs they sampled, 50 percent had mold or yeast.
Its a pretty icky thought, especially considering many coffee drinks dont just have one cup, but several throughout the day.² That means quite a few of those contaminants are making their way into the body, and thats not including the mycotoxins and mold particles that are in the coffee itself.³
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Are You Looking For Other Recommendations On Mold And Mycotoxin Free Coffee Brands
I get that people like options. Maybe you dont want to try Purity coffee for one reason or another. No worries! There are certainly a few other safer coffee brands out there. While they are not at the level Purity is, they still do a really great job of making sure their coffees are mold free and mycotoxin free or low in mycotoxins. Several of these brands make their lab reports available to the public as well.
How To Enjoy A Mycotoxin Free Cup Of Coffee When You Dont Have Access To The Best Mold And Mycotoxin Free Coffee Brand
- Select an organic coffee.
- Choose coffee that has been made by wet processing.
- Pick arabica beans over robusta beans. Though robusta varieties do have higher levels of caffeine, they also contain more mycotoxins.
- Because mold is less apt to grow at higher elevations, purchasing coffee that has been harvested in the mountains is a great way to decrease the amount of mycotoxins in your coffee.
- Stay away from blends. There is no way of telling where the different bean varieties have come from.
- Do not drink decaffeinated coffee. Caffeine actually protects coffee beans from the growth of mold & can prevent massive amounts of mycotoxins from growing.
- Steam is an agent that can help break down toxins, so if all else fails, order an Americano or Cappuccino.
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Protecting Coffee From Mold
The main thing to know for mold prevention is to avoid moisture at all costs. Coffee is already prone to mold water will just encourage its growth that much more.
Always store coffee in a warm and dry environment inside an airtight container.
Sometimes the mold isnt coming from the coffeerather the machines they are being brewed in. Its easy to remember to clean the pot, but forgetting might be damaging your morning joe.
When you are cleaning your coffee machine, dont miss the filter, water tubes, and reservoir. Any areas that might retain any moisture.
For a cleaner that doesnt change the taste of coffee, you should use a Descaler. If your coffee machine has a lot of miles on it a descaler might actually improve the taste of your coffee, restoring the machine back to its former glory.
Affresh is another universal cleaner for coffee makers. This is simple to use as you add the tablet to the water reservoir of a standard drip coffee machine.
Healthy Home Brewing Tips
Ditch the Pods & Single-Use Plastic Servings: I know K-Cups and pods are convenient, but not so much for the environment! Plus, when hot water comes in contact with the plastic, there is a potential for leaching into your coffee.
Use Plastic-Free Brewing Equipment: To avoid having your hot coffee come in contact with plastic, opt for methods such as glass pour over or French press to brew. Check out my Guide to Eco-Friendly Coffee Brewing for a list of zero waste brewing options, including unbleached compostable filters. Better for you and the earth!
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Brew with Filtered Water: Trust me, using pure water to brew your coffee makes a HUGE difference in the taste! First of all, tap water often contains dozens of contaminants such as chlorine and heavy metals. Secondly, filtered water has the right balance of minerality and pH which leads to a much finer pairing to let your coffees flavor profile shine. I use a Pure Effect Ultra 3-Stage Water Filter
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Myth #: Decaf Is Worse Because The Caffeine Is Chemically Extracted With Nasty Solvents
Truth: In solvent-based caffeine extraction processes, a chemical solvent, such as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate, is added either directly or indirectly to selectively remove the caffeine. The concern arises when these solvents come in direct contact with green coffee beans during the direct solvent-based extraction method. However, in the case of methylene chloride, the FDA sets residue limits at a level not to exceed 10 parts per million in decaffeinated roasted coffee and in decaffeinated soluble coffee extract .
In practice, the levels are closer to one part per million, if any at all. Thats because the roasting process takes place at a minimum of 400 degrees F, while methylene chloride vaporizes at 104 degrees F. Not to mention the brewing process, which then takes place around 200 degrees F. Ethyl acetate can also be used for direct solvent extraction and is considered to be more natural since it occurs naturally in some fruits like apple, apricot, banana, grape, berries, melon, papaya, peach, pear and pineapple, and products such as vinegar, wheat and rye bread, cheeses, butter, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Ethyl acetate is produced commercially from ethyl alcohol and acetic acid. Like methylene chloride, it is very volatile with a boiling point of 170.8 degrees F, so only trace amounts, if any at all, survive the roasting and brewing temperatures.
So in summary, decaf is not unsafe due to scary sounding chemical solvents.