Heavy metal and mycotoxin-producing fungi contamination of coffee consumed in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

In the current study, the presence of some essential and toxic elements, such as chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni) and silver (Ag) was checked in the coffee grains from the Harari Loneberry Coffee, Harari Shurberry Coffee, Harari Mocha Coffee, Laqmati Coffee, Wild Coffee, Khawlani Sokia Coffee, and Khawlani Matareia Coffee. Mn, Co, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Ag concentration ranges were found to be 6.75 to 3.76, 0.065 to 0.042, 0.832 to 0.521, 0.102 to 0.017, 0.167 to 0.054, and 0.961 to 0.192 g g^-1, respectively, and all the elements were found to be within the range of intake. The existence of contaminating toxigenic fungi, as well as aflatoxin and ochratoxin, is also studied. Using TLC chromatography, 27 toxigenic isolates from the genera Aspergillus and Pencillium were taken from these samples and examined for the synthesis of the toxins ochratoxin (OTA) and aflatoxin B (AFB). Five different Aspergillus isolates, seven different Penicillium isolates, and four different Fusarium isolates all produced AFB₁, according to the research. Four samples of coffee beans were discovered to be naturally tainted using HPLC. Aflatoxin B1′s quantification ranged from 2.11 to 121.38 g kg^-1, while ochratoxin A's ranged from 1.12 to 21.32 g kg^-1. This suggests that when coffee, the most consumed beverage in Saudi Arabia, is stored or presented in less hygienic circumstances, it is highly contaminated with toxins.