February 24, 2025 2 min read

Moldy Myths: The Truth About Mold in Your Cup of Joe

Picture this: you’re about to indulge in the best craft coffee at home, and a pesky thought creeps into your mind—“Is there mold lurking in my precious beans?” Before you envision a science experiment growing in your mug, let’s clear the air (and your cup). Grab a comfy seat, because we’re diving headfirst into the hot topic of mold in coffee: Is it really in every bean? Does high-scoring specialty coffee get a free pass? And most importantly, does roasting zap it for good?

  1. Mold’s Sneaky Origins

    • Mold is a microscopic fungus that can thrive in environments with moisture, warmth, and organic matter—like coffee cherries before they’re properly dried.
    • While it’s possible for mold spores to appear on coffee beans, strict farming and processing methods aim to keep these uninvited guests to a minimum.
  2. High-Scoring Specialty Coffee: Mold’s Worst Enemy?

    • Specialty coffee producers are fastidious about every step, from how cherries are picked to how beans are stored. After all, they’re vying for top scores and glowing reviews.
    • This attention to detail usually means lower risks of mold because beans are carefully handled, dried, and stored, resulting in fewer opportunities for mold to multiply. So, when you’re sipping on the top coffee delivered or checking out the best coffee for sale online, you can bet these beans have likely had a first-class mold prevention treatment.
  3. Does Roasting Kick Mold to the Curb?

    • Roasting coffee beans at high temperatures can kill most mold spores. However, it’s not always a complete annihilation of every single spore (mold is pretty tenacious).
    • Still, the presence of active mold in roasted beans is generally very low and typically not harmful when you brew your cup. In fact, many reputable brands do lab tests to ensure their beans are within safe limits—especially if they want to uphold a reputation for being the best coffee delivered to discerning coffee lovers.
  4. Why the Fuss About Mold Anyway?

    • Certain types of mold can produce toxins (like ochratoxin A), which can be harmful in large quantities. The key phrase here is “large quantities”—something unlikely to be found in your everyday brew.
    • If you’re concerned, consider ordering from roasters who prioritize quality control and testing. When you order coffee online from reputable sources, they’ll often outline their standards to keep mold and other contaminants at bay.

So, is mold present in all coffee? Not exactly, and certainly not at worrisome levels in well-processed beans—particularly in those high-scoring craft coffees that make it into your best coffee bean delivery. The roasting process also does a solid job of eliminating most potential mold spores, meaning that fresh, flavorful bag of beans you’re about to brew is most likely mold-free (or close to it).

The next time you start your morning ritual with the best craft coffee online, you can sip confidently, knowing that strict quality control and high roasting temperatures are on your side. From the best coffee for sale online to that carefully curated batch of best craft coffee at home, your mug is (almost) always more coffee than mold. So, go forth, coffee lover, and enjoy that steaming cup of liquid motivation—mold myths be gone!