Will the Chinese Association of Science and Technology say that long-term drinking coffee will be harmful to the human body?

At present, the issue of food safety has become one of the social hotspots that the Chinese people are most concerned about. there are numerous food safety problems exposed in the media. how should we treat the food problem? for this reason, the Science Popularization Department of China Science and Technology Association and the China Society of Food Science and Technology have organized experts to write "Scientific interpretation of the focus of Public concern" and made relevant answers to "Food Safety". To help the public understand food safety risks and defuse food safety fears.

What is ochratoxin? Will long-term drinking coffee do harm to the human body?

Expert answer: ochratoxin is a toxic fungal metabolite. Ochratoxin is a group of toxic metabolites produced by pure Penicillium, Aspergillus ochre and Aspergillus Niger, which are similar in structure and mainly endanger the kidneys of humans and animals. There are four compounds A, B, C and D, among which Ochratoxin A (OA) is the most toxic, the most closely related to human health and the most widespread pollution to crops. Ochratoxin A has strong hepatotoxicity and kidney toxicity. It also has teratogenic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Because ochratoxin A-producing bacteria are widely distributed in nature, therefore, including cereals, dried fruits, grapes and wine, coffee, cocoa and chocolate, Chinese herbal medicine, seasonings, canned food, oil, olives, bean products, beer, tea and other crops and foods can be contaminated by ochratoxin A, which is one of the main dietary pollutants in some European countries.

The pollution rate, pollution level and pollution rate of ochratoxin A to coffee are low, and only a few countries have established the limit standard of aflatoxin An in coffee. Many countries with coffee drinking habits in the world, especially the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain and other European countries, as well as the United States, Japan, Brazil and other countries have conducted extensive studies on the pollution and human exposure of aflatoxin An in coffee, but the results show that the pollution rate and pollution level of ochratoxin A to coffee are low. The researchers tested the ochratoxin An in 116 instant coffee samples from different countries and enterprises. The results showed that the pollution level of ochratoxin An in instant coffee made from pure coffee beans was very low (an average of 1.1 μ g / kg), while that in instant coffee mixed with coffee shell was slightly higher, 5.9 μ g / kg, and the highest pollution level was 15.9 μ g / kg. At present, more than 40 countries in the world have stipulated the limit of ochratoxin An in grain and its products, fruit wine, dried fruit and infant food, but only a few countries have established the limit standard of aflatoxin An in coffee, such as Greece, Bulgaria, Cuba, Hungary, Uruguay, Singapore and Italy, the limit is between 2.5 ~ 50 μ g / kg.

The risk of harm to human health caused by drinking coffee is extremely low. Ochratoxin An is one of the major dietary exposure pollutants in European countries, so it is most appropriate to use the grain intake and ochratoxin A pollution levels of European countries provided by the Global Food Pollutant Monitoring Network (GEMS/Food) to assess the risk of ochratoxin An exposure in people. According to the dietary characteristics of Europe, the contaminated materials of aflatoxin An in all reported grains were collected and the weighted average was put forward. According to this principle, an European adult weighing 60 kg has an average weekly intake of 45 ng/kg.bw of ochratoxin A (25 ng from grains, 10 ng from wine and 1.5 ng from pork. The amount of ochratoxin A from grape juice and coffee is about the same, both 2-3 ng, in addition to about 1 ng from other foods. The results show that although ochratoxin An is detected in coffee in many countries, due to the low level of pollution and the fact that the intake of coffee is lower than that of foods consumed such as cereals and animal foods, coffee is not the main source of dietary exposure to ochratoxin An in countries with coffee drinking habits. In other words, the risk of drinking coffee to human health is very low.

In view of the fact that at present, coffee (including raw materials and products) sold in China is mainly imported, compared with tea and other drinks, coffee is not the main drink of our people, and the consumption is relatively low. With reference to the pollution level of aflatoxin An in foreign coffee, Chinese people have a lower risk of ochratoxin An exposure through coffee, and have less adverse effects on health, so consumers do not need to panic.