Exploring coffee's impact: Aflatoxins, phytochemicals, and public health considerations

Coffee, a globally consumed beverage renowned for its distinctive taste and potential health benefits, is primarily sourced from two major varieties, Coffea arabica and C. robusta, which collectively dominate the global supply chain. This review delves into the historical origins of coffee cultivation, tracing its roots to India in the 1600s when Baba Budan introduced beans from Yemen, marking the inception of coffee farming in Karnataka's Chikmagalur district. Despite contributing a modest 3.14% to the global coffee supply, India is the 8th largest coffee cultivar globally in 2023–24, highlighting its significance in the coffee industry. Coffee is rich in various metabolites, terpenes, phenols, and antioxidants, with caffeine being a prominent psychoactive compound in coffee beans. However, coffee cultivation faces multifaceted challenges, including environmental stressors and mold infections leading to producing aflatoxins, which pose severe health risks to humans and animals while consuming coffee. Aflatoxin B1, which has heat stability and resilience during coffee bean processing, presents a significant challenge in ensuring food safety. This review critically examines coffee consumption's benefits and adverse effects, sheds light on aflatoxin contamination in coffee, and evaluates its implications on well-being. Additionally, it discusses regulatory measures and imposed limits to mitigate aflatoxin exposure, mainly focusing on Indian-grown coffee, where aflatoxin outbreaks have had detrimental consequences.