Food Safety in Coffee

Keeping Coffee Safe

Why Rigorous Protocols Matter

In 2025, several Kenyan coffees were flagged for residues of chlorpyrifos upon arrival after distribution to roasters, a pesticide banned in the EU. For many in the coffee industry, this was a wake-up call. Food safety isn’t abstract — it has direct consequences: farmers losing access to markets, roasters risking reputations, and consumers losing trust.

Roasters are reaching out to us directly, asking how Trabocca handles food safety and whether they can rely on the coffees we source. With these concerns, we want to show clearly how our protocols safeguard your coffee imports.

Food Safety: A Non-Negotiable

Already in the Kenyan 2022 crop we found chlorpyrifos residues in coffees from the Thirikui cooperative in Kenya, which meant we could no longer import these lots into the EU. While this was disappointing, it also demonstrated the importance of our proactive approach to food safety. Importantly, we did not turn away from our commitments to Thirikui. Not wanting to let the farmers down, we worked to find alternate markets for these lots. Ultimately, ensuring their hard work was valued while meeting other markets regulations. To address this further, our agronomist Bernard Gichimu provided trainings both at the washing station and with producers directly, helping them understand which inputs are safe and suitable for coffee production. Often, however, wrong fertilizers and products are distributed to smallholders who are unaware of the risks.

The Importer’s Responsibility

This experience underlines the role of an importer not only in representing the quality needs of roasters, but also in ensuring compliance with import requirements. It shows why it is essential to offer training and agronomic support at origin level, while also having testing protocols in place on the importing side. This safeguards both farmers’ market access and roasters’ trust.

Not Just Kenya — Broader Risks

Kenya may have been in the spotlight, but risks exist everywhere. As Charlie Blasky, our US Quality Lead, explains “Regulations shift quickly, and changes in one market often don’t reach farmers in another. Sometimes inputs banned in Europe are still available elsewhere, creating hidden risks for farmers. In an age of fast-moving rules and AI-generated advice, misinformation is easy to consume. Not fully understanding the regulations can have devastating consequences throughout the supply chain.” Other risks outside of the producer’s hands also play a role — for example, cross-contamination during storage or transport can cause residues to appear even when proper practices were followed.

From Risk Profiles to Testing Protocols

It’s our responsibility to bridge this gap: to inform suppliers of new regulations, guide them through changes, and keep supply chains resilient. Our risk assessments guide how often we test. Depending on country risk, product risk, and supplier track record, we may test annually, 20%, or even 100% of lots. Each year we review our hazard analysis, taking into account new regulations, international food safety alerts, and advice from accredited labs. In some origins, like Kenya and Peru, we’ve increased testing intensity because the risks are higher.

Case Study: Valle Verde

Valle Verde is one of our suppliers from the Amazonas region in Peru. In 2023, malathion was detected in a batch at levels above EU food safety limits. As a result, we set all of their conventional coffees to 100% testing in our analysis schedule.

Together with Valle Verde we worked on improving traceability and identifying potential sources of contamination. We also supported them in testing different lots and sampling across farmer groups. In a meeting during our Meet the Producer Event in Amsterdam, Rafael described the collaboration with a metaphor: “Valle Verde is the bus and Trabocca the mechanic, ensuring the engine is well equipped. Without one, these coffees could not travel that far.”

Safeguarding Food Safety and Imports

Since then, testing has shown strong improvements. In 2025 we tested 100% of Valle Verde’s batches again and found no pesticides above EU limits. If the upcoming harvest confirms these results, we can lower the testing frequency, allowing for smoother logistics and commercial operations while keeping the supply chain safe and strong.

What We Test

This system is based on the principles of HACCP and ISO22000, and is third-party audited. Testing frequency follows a risk-based approach: annual, 20%, or sometimes 100% depending on supplier and origin. We always aim to conduct testing before shipment to avoid problems later, though in some cases testing can occur on arrival. Ultimately, testing helps us build resilient supply chains that are prepared for the future of coffee trade. Every single batch we buy undergoes analysis. Beyond cupping, we test for:

  • Moisture and water activity
  • Pesticides
  • Ochratoxin A (a harmful mycotoxin)
  • Mineral oils

More details on lab testing

Why do we test for moisture and water activity?

Knowing the moisture and water activity levels is important for various aspects of food safety and product control. High moisture content, and especially high water activity levels can promote fungal growth, which can produce harmful mycotoxins such as Ochratoxin A. Additionally, high levels are correlated to shelf stability, where coffee beans can see a more quick decline in flavor quality.

Which pesticides do we test for?

Pesticide testing in green coffee includes screening for glyphosate and a comprehensive multi-residue package. The multi-residue package covers over 100 of the most commonly used pesticides in tree crops. This ensures broad and effective monitoring. The composition of the multi-residue package may change, or we might add specific chemicals to test, based on input from international alert systems, regulatory changes and expert advice from accredited laboratories.

What is Ochratoxin A and why do we test for it?

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a toxic compound produced by certain molds, particularly improper drying or storage. It is classified as a potential carcinogen and poses serious health risks. Importantly, OTA cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted, making regular testing important. Although legal limits are often set only on roasted coffee, we test green coffee to ensure OTA levels remain well below risk thresholds after roasting.

Why do we test for mineral oils?

Mineral oils are hydrocarbons derived from petroleum, and their presence in green coffee can occur through environmental contamination, packaging, or processing. Studies have shown that mineral oils do not transfer in high levels from the coffee bean to the cup. However, the EU has issued guideline values. Although these are not legal limits, reporting the findings is mandatory and exceeding values may raise safety concerns, and in practice, can prevent the product from being able to be sold on the EU market.

From Arrival to Preshipment

Over the past two years, we’ve shifted our focus from testing on arrival to testing at preshipment stage (PSS). This change has made a big difference: fewer customer complaints, fewer vendor issues, problems solved earlier in the chain. Consequently, the risk is clear: more rejections at preshipment stage. But while this can slow down trade in the short term, it protects everyone in the long run — farmers, roasters, and consumers.

The Costs of Findings on Arrival

Finding exceeding levels only upon arrival can have brutal impacts: harsh financial loss for everyone involved. Whole batches may need to be destroyed, returned, or attempted to be redistributed, and the supply chain loses trust on both ends. Importantly, pushing testing further upstream also creates opportunities: coffees that don’t pass regional standards can often be redistributed to markets where they are compliant. This prevents exporters from losing entire batches and reduces the risk of losing certifications. 

What the Numbers Show

Results 2023 vs 2024

The results speak for themselves:

  • 2023: 12 batches blocked due to residue levels.
  • 2024: More than double the number of batches tested, but only 7 blocked.

This improvement reflects changes in our analysis plan:

  • Ensuring batches missed in 2023 were tested in 2024.
  • Adding mineral oil testing as a new EU requirement.
  • Due to high risk: expanding Kenya stocklot testing — all new wet mills tested.

For 2025, our QA team will focus on improving supplier communication and building stronger relationships to bring down non-performance at PSS level. Pushing testing upfront in the supply chain takes risks away from roasters, while giving us and suppliers more freedom to adapt when issues are found.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Import Safety

The future of imports is clear: more accountability, more data, and stricter requirements. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is just one example, demanding unprecedented levels of traceability and documentation. While not directly tied to food safety, it points in the same direction — towards an industry where transparency is the baseline. We also expect other frameworks and regulations to follow, further raising the bar on sustainability, deforestation-free sourcing, and labor standards. Import safety is expanding to cover not only residues, but also environmental and social compliance.

Founder's Message

“With over 20 years of delivering coffees from Ethiopia, one of the most complex origins in the world, we’ve learned the discipline of building systems for traceability, compliance, and transparency.” said Menno Simons, Founder of Trabocca, and adds “Trabocca is curious and always looking to improve the coffee chain. This has been our DNA since day one. Our goal is to add value on all levels and set the example. By doing so, we are not always making it easy for ourselves & our suppliers. Therefore, a strong belief is needed in what we do is the right thing. That believe not only needs to be strong and alive within our team but also reach our suppliers and roaster. Understanding the long-term value of an advanced, honest and professional approach is crucial. It should make all people involved happy in the end!”

Shared Responsibility Above All

Food safety is about more than compliance. It protects farmers’ access to markets. It safeguards roasters’ reputations. And it ensures consumers can enjoy coffee with confidence. At Trabocca, we believe responsibility grows when it is shared. By investing in systems and transparency, we aim to raise the bar across the industry — so that exceptional coffees can move safely from farm to cup.

 

 

in pursuit of great coffee

Specialty Coffee Importer Since 2003

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