Coffee lovers must pay attention to expiration dates on coffee, after a recent sampling found four out of 44 coffee products had traces of ochratoxin A, a mycotoxin detrimental to human health, the Department of Consumer Protection said yesterday.
It said that fungal toxin could grow in coffee that was improperly preserved or has been stored for long periods of time.
Department staff purchased 44 types of coffee beans and drip coffees last month from coffee shops, coffee manufacturers, hypermarkets and online stores in Taipei, New Taipei City, Greater Taichung, Greater Tainan, Greater Kaohsiung and Taoyuan County.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
“The most alarming finding of our inspection was [a lack of] expiration dates on the packaging, since it is directly related to the coffee quality and whether it is safe to consume,” senior consumer ombudsman Wang Te-ming (王德明) told a press conference in Taipei.
Although the amount of ochratoxin A found this time did not exceed the maximum level of 5 parts per billion (ppb) allowed by Article 3 of the Sanitation Standard for the Tolerance of Mycotoxins in Foods (食品中真菌毒素限量標準), long-term consumption of coffee with small doses of ochratoxin A could cause renal proximal tubular death, miscarriages and birth defects, Wang said.
“Consuming large amounts of the toxin could also lead to acute renal failure,” Wang added.
The highest level of ochratoxin A — 2.8ppb — was found in a coffee product sold by Greater Kaohsiung-based Sunday Cafe Roaster, the department said.
Nine of the tested products had insufficient labeling, primarily the lack of an expiration date, which constitutes a violation of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法), it said.
Food and Drug Administration senior technical specialist Wang Jan-yi (王貞懿) said the agency ordered the makers of the deficient products to make necessary improvements by the end of this month.
“Those who fail to comply could face a fine ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million (US$1,000 to US$100,000) and see their products confiscated and destroyed,” she said.
Asked for a comment, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital nephrologist Yen Tzung-hai (顏宗海) said ochratoxin A thrived in humid environments above 25°C and could increase the risk of kidney damage and liver cancer.
“Although the highest level of the toxin detected this time was just 2.8ppb, which would not pose an immediate threat to human health, people are still advised to drink no more than two cups of coffee per day to avoid an excessive intake of caffeine,” Yen said.
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