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Mold & Mycotoxin-Tested Coffee: Our Quality Standard

By Mike Cullen, Founder · Last updated October 12, 2026

Key takeaway: Every lot of Edge Coffee is third-party tested by Eurofins for mold and mycotoxins. We test the green, unroasted beans, because roasting reduces some mycotoxins but not all of them, and by amounts that vary widely. Our sample reports found no detectable mycotoxins, with ochratoxin A below 1 ppb in Pure Health Coffee. (50 words)

New here? Start with our mold-free coffee guide.

100% Mold & Mycotoxin-Free. Based on third-party Eurofins testing: no detectable mycotoxins. In our sample Pure Health Coffee green-bean report (Mar 2024), ochratoxin A was below 1 ppb and total aflatoxins below 2 ppb; in our sample green decaf report (Apr 2026), both were below 5 ppb. Sample reports are examples, not an exhaustive list: see lab results.

Quick overview

Mold can grow on many stored crops—including green coffee—when moisture and conditions allow. Some molds can produce compounds called mycotoxins. Roasting kills living mold and reduces some mycotoxins, but not all of them (see below). At Edge, we hold mold and mycotoxin control to a purity and quality standard: we source carefully and test every lot's green beans with Eurofins, a third-party lab.

What you should know about mold and mycotoxins in coffee

Molds are fungi; their spores are common in the environment. In agriculture and storage, certain molds can appear on dried foods and commodities. Mycotoxins are toxic byproducts associated with some molds. Food producers and regulators in various markets pay attention to mycotoxin levels in commodities for food quality and safety standards.

Published sampling studies have reported mycotoxins in a portion of commercially available coffees (results vary by study, region, and methods). The United States does not apply the same coffee-specific mycotoxin limits some other markets use—which is one reason transparent testing matters to quality-focused roasters and buyers.

Why mycotoxins matter

Mycotoxins are not a marketing concept. Food-safety agencies regulate them because some are among the most toxic natural contaminants in the food supply.

  • Aflatoxin B1 causes cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies it as a Group 1 human carcinogen, and it is a well-established cause of liver cancer. (WHO; Toxins 2026 review)
  • Large doses can be deadly. Acute aflatoxin poisoning (aflatoxicosis) damages the liver. In one 2004 outbreak in rural Kenya, contaminated maize led to 317 cases and 125 deaths. (Lewis et al., Environ Health Perspect 2005)
  • Ochratoxin A is toxic to the kidneys. Its most notable effect in animals is kidney damage, with possible effects on the immune system and fetal development. IARC lists it as a possible human carcinogen (Group 2B). Ochratoxin A is one of the mycotoxins found in coffee beans. (WHO; Heliyon 2024 review)
  • Some mycotoxins affect the gut and immune system. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) lists effects ranging from gastrointestinal and kidney disorders to immune deficiency. Deoxynivalenol, a grain toxin nicknamed "vomitoxin," causes vomiting in animals and has been associated with human gastroenteritis. WHO notes that trichothecene toxins can irritate the skin and intestinal lining and cause diarrhea. (EFSA; Pestka, Arch Toxicol 2010; WHO)
  • Some mycotoxins build up in fat tissue (mainly animal data). A 2026 systematic review of lab and animal studies found that several mycotoxins accumulate in fat tissue and stay there for long periods, which may matter for long-term exposure. Human data are still limited. (Front Toxicol 2026 systematic review)
  • Skin (limited evidence). Apart from WHO's note on trichothecene skin irritation, data on skin effects come mostly from lab and animal studies, especially on T-2 toxin. (T-2 dermal toxicity review, Food Chem Toxicol 2024)

What this means for your cup: A 2024 worldwide review found ochratoxin A levels in coffee were generally within safe exposure margins, but recommended controlling mold growth along the supply chain. (Massahi et al., 2024) We want every cup to meet that standard. That's why our coffee is lab tested.

Does roasting remove mycotoxins? Partly, and that's why we test green beans

Roasting reduces some mycotoxins, but not all of them, and not by a predictable amount: - Ochratoxin A (OTA) is partly reduced, and how much varies widely. A review of roasting studies found most reported reductions of 60% or more (van der Stegen et al., J Agric Food Chem 2001). On an industrial line, roast-and-ground coffee still kept about 16% of the OTA from the green beans (Blanc et al., J Agric Food Chem 1998). In another study, roasting cut OTA by 66.5% on average, but the reduction was "heterogeneous" from sample to sample (Pérez De Obanos et al., Food Addit Contam 2005). - Roast level matters. OTA reduction depended on how severe the roast was and on how contaminated the beans were to begin with; espresso-style roasts showed reductions above 90% (Romani et al., J Agric Food Chem 2003). - Aflatoxins and others vary too. In naturally contaminated coffee, traditional roasting followed by brewing reduced aflatoxins by about 40–62% and OTA by about 59–65%, depending on roast level. That still left measurable amounts (Al Attiya et al., PLoS One 2021). - Prevention starts before roasting. Good farm, drying and storage practices help keep OTA from forming in the first place (López-Rodríguez et al., J Fungi 2024).

So Edge tests the green, unroasted beans. We don't count on the roaster to clean up a problem. We check the beans before roasting, when any mycotoxins that formed during growing, drying or storage would be at their full level.

Customer experience (not a study result; individual experiences vary): Many of our customers tell us they notice digestive upset, skin breakouts, or jitters with conventional coffee that they don't experience with Edge.

Why Edge tests

If you drink coffee daily, you care what’s in the cup for taste, freshness, and purity. We do not want mycotoxins to be an unnoticed quality variable. Every lot is third-party tested by Eurofins. Testing focuses on the mycotoxins most discussed in coffee, including ochratoxin A and aflatoxins. Result: 100% Mold & Mycotoxin-Free. Based on third-party Eurofins testing: no detectable mycotoxins. In our sample Pure Health Coffee green-bean report (Mar 2024), ochratoxin A was below 1 ppb and total aflatoxins below 2 ppb; in our sample green decaf report (Apr 2026), both were below 5 ppb. Sample reports are examples, not an exhaustive list: see lab results. We position this as:

  • A differentiation on quality and process
  • Support for a clean, specialty cup
  • Transparency for customers who specifically seek mold- and mycotoxin-tested coffee

Quality chain: farm → storage → roast → cup

  1. Sourcing: Specialty-grade, organic, shade-grown high-altitude Peruvian beans (Alto Mayo cooperative region).
  2. Handling: Attention to moisture and storage practices that support green-coffee quality.
  3. Roast: Small-batch roasting aimed at flavor development.
  4. Verify: Every lot's green (unroasted) beans are third-party tested by Eurofins before roasting.
  5. Pack: Nitrogen flushing to help preserve freshness after roast.

Mycotoxins and coffee quality (sources)

Ochratoxin A is a mycotoxin that can occur along the coffee chain, and good farm, drying, and storage practices help reduce it. (LĂłpez-RodrĂ­guez et al., J Fungi 2024)

In animal and lab studies, certain mycotoxins (zearalenone, T-2) have affected fat metabolism and skin. That's one reason we test for them. (Dai et al., Commun Biol 2026 — zearalenone, pigs; T-2 toxin dermal toxicity review, Food Chem Toxicol 2024)

For research on coffee drinking itself, see what research has found about coffee.

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See how we compare: Edge vs Purity · Edge vs Bulletproof

Educational food-quality content—not medical advice.

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