Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, mycotoxins, and pesticides residues in coffee: a probabilistic assessment of risk to health

In this study, we assessed health risk posed by oral exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), mycotoxins (MTs), and pesticides residues in coffee samples collected from Iran market, using a probabilistic model. Levels of contaminants in 150 imported coffee samples were determined using Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography, tandem mass spectrometry with triple quadrupole and ion trap. The maximum and minimum mean levels of PAHs were found in samples from country A (20.78 ± 3.11 µg/kg dry mass (dm)) and F (13.00 ± 2.21 µg/kg dm), respectively. For pesticides, the lowest and highest levels were found in samples from country A (322.90 ± 11.05 µg/kg dm) and F (501.20 ± 14.73 µg/kg dm), respectively. Concerning MTs, samples from countries F showed the highest (56.43 ± 5.80 µg/kg dm) while those from country C showed the lowest (41.10 ± 4.31 µg/kg dm) mean concentrations. Carcinogenic risk assessment in terms of incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCRs) and margins of exposure (MoEs) indicated that at the 50th, 75th and 95th centiles, PAHs posed no risks to Iranian consumers' health. Our % Tolerable daily intake (TDI) calculation showed that at the 50th, 75th, and 95th centiles, oral exposure to MTs residue through coffee consumption may lead to a small (<1%) daily intake of ochratoxin, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, patulin, fumonisin B1, and fumonisin B2; however, for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 a % TDI >1 was observed at these centiles. The hazard index (HIs) values for pesticides residue indicated de minimis risks.