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Coffee Toxins

Meaning

The term “Coffee Toxins” refers to various naturally occurring compounds within coffee beans or those formed during processing that, in certain individuals or at high intake levels, may elicit undesirable physiological responses. These substances include diterpenes like cafestol and kahweol, certain mycotoxins such as ochratoxin A (though typically at negligible levels in commercially regulated coffee), acrylamide formed during roasting, and caffeine itself, particularly in sensitive individuals. These compounds are not universally “toxic” but rather possess distinct biological activities that can impact human physiology.