Investigation of Ochratoxin A Levels in Commercially Available Turkish Coffee and Risk Assessment

This study evaluated the occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in Turkish coffee and its potential health implications under current consumption patterns by analyzing 65 ground and roasted Turkish coffee samples collected across Türkiye. OTA contamination was detected in 53 samples (82%). Based on the mean OTA concentration, the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) was calculated as 0.1403 ng/kg body weight/day, and health risk characterization was performed using the Margin of Exposure (MOE) approach in accordance with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommendations for chronic exposure assessment. MOE calculations enabled a refined characterization of health risks under realistic (0.5 cup/day), average (1 cup/day), and high (3 cups/day) consumption scenarios. The MOE values for carcinogenic (neoplastic) effects ranged from 34,450 to 206,847, all exceeding the EFSA reference threshold of 10,000 and indicating a low level of concern for carcinogenic risk associated with Turkish coffee consumption. For non-carcinogenic (non-neoplastic) kidney effects, MOE values ranged from 11,238 to 67,475 across the different consumption scenarios, all exceeding the EFSA reference threshold of 200, indicating a low level of concern for the general population. In conclusion, the findings demonstrate that Turkish coffee consumption does not pose an OTA-related carcinogenic or non-neoplastic health risk for the general population under current consumption patterns. Nevertheless, considering the widespread consumption of Turkish coffee, continued monitoring and strict implementation of control measures throughout the production chain remain advisable to ensure long-term consumer safety.