Prevention Strategies

Introduction

Managing the risk of ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination in coffee involves chain management from the tree to the finished product. Key factors in the successful management of OTA involve good hygiene practices along the chain, rapid drying, and avoiding the re-wetting of coffee by ensuring clean and dry storage and transportation.

Sampling of green coffee from all origins has indicated that OTA contamination may be more frequent in some areas than others, though not necessarily consistently. However, no coffee producing country is entirely free from the risk of OTA contamination.

It is generally agreed that preventive measures taken by all participants in the coffee production and processing chain are the best way to reduce the incidence of mould formation and the associated risk of OTA contamination.

In order to define appropriate prevention strategies, and to disseminate good practices, the global project has undertaken a comprehensive series of interrelated activities and investigations. These activities are now being completed, and data from these trials and investigations is being evaluated and synthesised.

In this section we provide an overview of the key prevention strategies at key stages of the chain, which are designed to assist operators apply good practices in the prevention of OTA contamination and formation. These will be updated with recommendations and results from the global project, with an industry-wide Code of Practice on reducing OTA in coffee to be published at the end of the project.

Please note that due to wide variations in coffee growing, processing, storage and transportation, each variant that exists cannot be described individually. Therefore, out of necessity, the prevention strategies noted here are generic in nature, and should be adapted to reflect local circumstances as appropriate.

More detailed information and background documentation on good practices is also provided in the training tool developed under the project.

For green coffee buyers, download the European Coffee Federation's recent publication, 'OTA risk management: Guidelines for green coffee buying'.