Is Coffee Sprayed With Chemicals?

Coffee. It’s more than just a beverage for many—it’s a ritual, a morning necessity, and for some, a reason to get out of bed. This beloved drink ranks as one of the most popular beverages worldwide. With billions of people relying on their daily cups of coffee, it’s no wonder that the demand for it is staggering. But what does it take to meet that demand?

Coffee farming isn’t an easy task. Indeed, coffee plants thrive in specific climates, require careful maintenance, and are vulnerable to pests and diseases. As we dive into this post, we’ll explore a crucial question that many coffee drinkers have wondered: Is coffee sprayed with chemicals?

Is Coffee Sprayed With Chemicals?

The short answer is yes, farmers spray most coffee with chemicals. Coffee plants face a variety of challenges, from pests to diseases, which can severely affect yield and quality. To protect their crops, many coffee farmers use pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. These chemicals help ensure that coffee plants remain productive. However, their widespread use raises concerns, especially about how much of these chemicals make their way into the final cup of coffee we enjoy.

Farmers spray pesticides and herbicides to control pests and weeds that can otherwise damage the plants. Additionally, fungicides are commonly used to protect coffee plants from fungal diseases. But how often do coffee farmers spray these chemicals? In conventional coffee farming, multiple applications of pesticides and herbicides throughout the growing season are common.

With that said, not all coffee is treated the same way. The use of chemicals depends heavily on the type of farming practices in place—whether it’s conventional coffee farming or organic coffee farming.

What Chemicals Are In Coffee?

To begin with, a wide range of chemicals are used in conventional farming such as pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, and more. Just like with the produce we eat, some of these chemicals can end up in the final product that we consume. Let’s take a closer look at these categories:

• pesticides and herbicides
• fungicides
• fumigation chemicals
• undisclosed pharmaceutical drugs
• methylene chloride in decaf coffee, and
• mycotoxins.

Pesticides And Herbicides

For starters, conventional coffee farmers widely use pesticides and herbicides to protect crops from insects and weeds. The World Health Organization defines pesticides as substances designed to control pests during food production, processing, and storage. The list of these chemicals is extensive and varies widely from country to country.

Next, these chemicals can leave residues on roasted beans and potentially enter the final product. The level of pesticide residues depends on the type of pesticide, its application method, time from application to harvest time, and regulatory limits (source and source).

Even after manufacturers dry and roast coffee beans at temperatures around 260°C, studies show that trace pesticide residues can still remain in commercial coffee. However, the exact number of pesticides remaining in roasted coffee and the impact of these levels are largely understudied in humans. These points highlight the importance of monitoring pesticide use and ensuring consumer safety (source).

Fungicides

Next, let’s take a closer look at fungicides used in coffee production to discover what impact they may have on the safety of drinking coffee.

In fact, scientists in Brazil examined the effect of common fungicides on workers on conventionally grown coffee farms as well as on rural residents. Researchers found a clear correlation between exposure to these chemicals and changes in hormone levels, oxidative stress markers, genotoxicity indicators, and liver enzyme function. Notably, rural residents exposed to lesser amounts of fungicides exhibited detectable differences compared to unexposed individuals (source).

While this study did not assess the effects of fungicide residues in coffee drinkers, it provides valuable data on human health. Occupational exposures are an important source of information for how toxic chemicals, like fungicides, may impact the human health.

Although coffee consumers in the U.S. experience significantly lower exposure levels than that of coffee farmers, the findings provide good reason to exercise caution around these chemicals.

Furthermore, the U.S. has not established maximum residue limits (MRLs) for many fungicides in coffee, unlike those found in other foods. Currently, many fungicides such as azoxystrobin, triadimenol, and propiconazole do not have coffee MRLs in the U.S (source, source, source, and source).

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Fumigating Chemicals

Interestingly, the FDA does not seem to conduct testing on imported coffee beans to ensure that illegal pesticides, herbicides or fungicides are within US tolerances. However, the FDA does have specific rules on contaminants like insects, insect damage to the beans (where insect larvae grow), mold, sticks and other visible contaminants, known as “sweeps.”

According to the FDA website, when a shipment of beans is detained due to the presences of live insects or mold, fumigation is required. The FDA does not specify which chemicals are used in the fumigation process, but inevitably it would fall under the pesticide/fungicide umbrella (source).

Afterwards, the fumigated beans are transported to the roasting facility for removal of the debris, prior to manufacturing. Once again, no rules I have found explicitly state the requirement for companies to conduct pre-market testing to ensure that pesticide residues are within certain limits (source). Naturally, this may raise concerns about the standards of the manufacturer, and whether internal testing is conducted before selling recently fumigated beans to consumers.

Undisclosed Pharmaceutical Drugs

Next, numerous “slimming” or “libido enhancing” coffee products purchased by US customers have been recalled due to the presence of undisclosed drugs. On numerous occasions, the FDA laboratories found that coffee labeled as “healthy” or “all natural” had added hidden drugs (source, source, and source).

After the discovery of hidden drugs, such as erectile dysfunction medications and sibutramine (a controlled substance removed from the market in 2010 for safety reasons), the FDA issued a recall. While I am grateful the FDA takes action to investigate these products, it is important to note that US consumers had access to these products prior to the recall. Consumers may have ordered them directly from foreign countries or retail stores within the US.

In my opinion, this places even more emphasis on knowing the standards of the company you are purchasing from.

Methylene Chloride In Decaf Coffee

Many decaf coffee brands use methylene chloride, a concerning chemical, in their decaffeination process without disclosing it on labels. Although a water-based, chemical-free alternative exists, many companies still rely on this method, raising concerns—especially for vulnerable groups like pregnant women and the elderly who often consume decaffeinated coffee.

Methylene chloride is a solvent, once widely used in industrial applications like paint stripping, which poses serious health risks. While only trace amounts remain in decaf coffee, repeated exposure is not ideal (source).

In May 2024, the EPA banned methylene chloride for most commercial and industrial uses, but the FDA still allows it in food products, including coffee. Because of this regulatory gap, consumers must take extra steps to ensure their coffee is safe (source and source).

Hence, opting for brands that use water-based decaffeination helps reduce unnecessary chemical exposure. Due to the limitations of regulations, consumers must actively choose safer options for their daily brew.

Mycotoxins In Coffee

Further, certain molds produce toxic compounds called mycotoxins, which can grow on coffee beans in warm, humid conditions. These toxins – Ochratoxin A (OTA) or Aflatoxin B1 – can form during storage, processing, or even before harvest. While mycotoxins are not sprayed on or otherwise added to coffee, they can persist in the final coffee product.

Ochratoxin A

First, a common mycotoxin Ochratoxin A (OTA) can contaminate coffee beans and resists heat. Studies show that roasting beans processed at 200°C for 20 minutes reduces OTA by only 0–12%. Therefore, a roasting process with temperatures above 250 °C for several minutes is necessary to reduce the concentration of this toxin. Since roasting does not destroy all OTA completely, a cup of coffee may still contain harmful levels. 

Once people ingest OTA, it accumulates and stays in the body for long periods (about 840 hours). It has a link to kidney disease, tumors, and chronic interstitial nephropathy. 

Consequently, producers must enforce strict hygiene and quality controls to prevent OTA contamination in coffee. Because some countries lack legal limits for OTA, there is a need for stronger regulations and improved detoxification methods. In an ideal world, consumers should prioritize coffee brands that test for mycotoxins to ensure safer consumption. In reality, however, it is not easy to do as companies don’t usually disclose this information (source).

Is Organic Coffee Sprayed With Chemicals?

Now that we understand how chemicals affect conventional coffee, you might be wondering if organic coffee is free from these chemicals. The good news is that organic agriculture does not utilize synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Conversely, organic farming practices prioritize the use of natural methods to protect crops, including crop rotation, natural predators, and composting.

However, organic coffee farms can use certain non-synthetic, naturally derived, and generally less toxic, pesticides and herbicides if necessary. Even though organic coffee is less likely to contain pesticide residues, it’s not immune to the possibility of chemical exposure.

Beyond personal health, sourcing coffee responsibly also supports ethical and environmental practices, ensuring that coffee farmers and water supplies are not subjected to unnecessary harsh chemical exposure.

Which Coffee Has No Chemicals?

Evidently, no method removes all pesticides and fungicides once farmers spray the beans, but that doesn’t mean people should avoid coffee.

While coffee is unlikely your biggest source of chemical exposure, it’s still wise to choose a brand that limits toxins in something you drink daily. Mycotoxins can also develop in coffee beans, making careful selection even more important.

If you’re concerned about chemicals in coffee, you may wonder which options are free from synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and residues. Let’s explore that next.

Organic Coffee Reduces Synthetic Pesticide Exposure

As mentioned earlier, organic coffee is a great choice for those looking to reduce exposure to synthetic pesticides, fungicides, fumigation chemicals, and methylene chloride.

The good news is that a study on 571 product samples found 96% complied with the USDA organic regulations (source). Though not perfect, organic agriculture significantly reduces consumer exposure to harmful chemicals. 

Furthermore, the health and safety of those involved in coffee production matter to consumers worldwide. The known and unknown risks of chemical exposure provide strong reasons to choose organic coffee whenever possible.

Look For Brands With Contaminant Testing

Carefully selecting the source of food you consume daily is wise advice in any category. This rule of thumb applies to coffee as well. As we have established, government regulations are not as all-encompassing as they could be.

For instance, roasting temperature and moisture level primarily influence mycotoxin presence or development in coffee. By sourcing from a coffee company that tests to ensure their products are free from mycotoxins, you can be more confident that the company followed these types of manufacturing practices.

In addition, with FDA recalls on coffee beverages containing mold and hidden drugs, it makes sense to be selective. While the FDA is an important gate keeper, it states that it’s unable to test all products, and that consumers should exercise caution before purchasing (source).

This lack of government oversight places greater responsibility on consumers to source coffee from brands prioritizing safety and transparency. Choosing tested, sustainably grown coffee can help reduce potential health risks while supporting safer agricultural practices.

Conclusion: How Can You Reduce Chemicals In Coffee?

You Can Reduce Your Potential Exposure Through Coffee To Synthetic Pesticides, Fungicides, Mycotoxins, And Hidden Drugs By Consuming Third-Party Tested USDA Certified Organic Coffee.

In conclusion, conventional coffee farming relies heavily on synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides to protect crops from pests and diseases. While these chemicals help maintain yields, they can also leave behind residue levels that may persist through the roasting process. Additionally, there may be mycotoxins, which develop under poor storage conditions, and undisclosed pharmaceutical drugs in some coffee products, raising further concerns about consumer safety. Moreover, the lack of stringent regulations on chemical residue levels in coffee highlights the importance of informed purchasing decisions.

Fortunately, there are ways to minimize exposure to these contaminants. Choosing USDA-certified organic coffee is a great first step. The USDA prohibits the use of synthetic pesticides and ensures compliance with organic farming standards. For even greater assurance, seek brands that conduct independent testing for pesticide residues, mycotoxins, and other contaminants. By choosing responsibly sourced, tested coffee, you can continue your daily ritual with confidence—knowing that your brewed coffee is as safe as it is satisfying.

If you are a tea-drinker, check out my blog post Are Tea Bags Bad For You?.

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