Hi Everyone,
I might be getting into some new raw materials, one of which is coffee. My question for others with coffee as an ingredient is what kind of coffee-specific controls or hazards should I see addressed in the supplier's food safety plan or on a regular CoA? I'll be purchasing roasted whole beans.
My thoughts were:
Biological: Salmonella as a potential hazard for a dry product, but wondering if this is covered by the roasting process temps with no need for verification testing in the product itself?
Chemical: Mycotoxins seem to be a big deal in coffee, and FDA has them listed as a hazard you should address in the appendix 1 guidance. (https://www.fda.gov/...A/UCM517402.pdf)
Pesticide residues/chemicals: FDA lists this one as well, but is it common to expect a supplier to address this at the roaster level, or would it be covered through their supplier program?
Heavy metals: because of where coffee is grown, I'm always wary, is this reasonable to ask a supplier to cover?
Physical: honestly I'm going to be grinding and filtering these, so I'm not really worried about the physical hazards.
I'd love to hear back from some coffee people.