56 Coffee production – An occupational setting where exposure to mycotoxins need to be recognized and prevented

Abstract

Coffee production involves different processes until being available as beverage involving several workers worldwide. Mycotoxins exposure may occur in this occupational setting since coffee beans are frequently contaminated with these fungal secondary metabolites due the crop infection by toxigenic fungi that commonly infect the plant during the various production stages. A study was developed in two milling industries located in Brazil aiming to evaluate workplace contamination with mycotoxins. Twenty samples of settled dust and respiratory protection equipment filters were collected. In addition, nineteen samples of the coffee beans processed were also collected in different workplaces. Samples were collected during August 2021, which is coffee harvest time in Brazil. Settled dust samples presented contamination by 4 different mycotoxins: Fumonisin B1 (FB1), ochratoxin A (OTA) and B (OTB), mycophenolic acid (MA) and zearalenon (ZEA) with MA being present in all the samples with the higher concentrations. Filter samples also showed contamination by 4 mycotoxins namely FB1, FB2, OTA and MA. Also in these samples MA was the most prevalent mycotoxin but FB2 reached the higher concentration. In the case of coffee beans samples, 4 mycotoxins were also detected, namely Aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), FB2, OTA and MA. Again MA was the most prevalent with higher concentrations. As main conclusions: workplace environment is contaminated with multiple mycotoxins promoting workers exposure by inhalation, dermal absorption and even ingestion. Therefore, mycotoxins should be considered as a hazard present in this occupational setting deserving the adoption of risk management measures to prevent exposure and control the risk.