TY - JOUR
T1 - Microbial contamination in the coffee industry
T2 - an occupational menace besides a food safety concern?
AU - Viegas, Carla
AU - Gomes, Bianca
AU - Oliveira, Filipe
AU - Dias, Marta
AU - Cervantes, Renata
AU - Pena, Pedro
AU - Gomes, Anita Quintal
AU - Caetano, Liliana Aranha
AU - Carolino, Elisabete
AU - de Andrade, Ednilton Tavares
AU - Viegas, Susana
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by H&TRC—Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL—Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001 and by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (Portugal), within the scope of the PhD Grant UI/BD/151431/2021.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors.
PY - 2022/10
Y1 - 2022/10
N2 - Respiratory abnormalities among workers at coffee roasting and packaging facilities have already been reported; however, little is known about microbiological contamination inside coffee production facilities. This study intends to assess the microbial contamination (fungi and bacteria) in two coffee industries from Brazil with a multi-approach protocol for sampling and for subsequent analyses using four main sources of samples: filtering respiratory protection devices (FRPD) used by workers, settled dust, electrostatic dust cloths (EDC) and coffee beans. The fungal contamination in the assessed industries was also characterized through the molecular detection of toxigenic species and antifungal resistance. Total bacteria contamination presented the highest values in FRPD collected from both industries (7.45 × 104 CFU·m−2; 1.09 × 104 CFU·m−2). Aspergillus genera was widespread in all the environmental samples collected and sections with clinical relevance (Fumigati) and with toxigenic potential (Nigri and Circumdati) were recovered from FRPD. Circumdati section was observed in 4 mg/mL itraconazole. Sections Circumdati (EDC, coffee beans and settled dust) and Nidulantes (EDC, coffee beans and FRPD) were detected by qPCR. Some of the targeted Aspergillus sections that have been identified microscopically were not detected by qPCR and vice-versa. Overall, this study revealed that microbial contamination is a potential occupational risk in the milling stage and should be tackled when assessing exposure and performing risk assessment. In addition, a multi-sampling campaign should be the approach to follow when assessing microbial contamination and FRPD should be included in this campaign. Occupational exposure to mycotoxins should be considered due to high fungal diversity and contamination. A One Health approach should address these issues in order to prevent consumption of coffee crops and beans infected by fungi and, more specifically, to avoid widespread azole resistance.
AB - Respiratory abnormalities among workers at coffee roasting and packaging facilities have already been reported; however, little is known about microbiological contamination inside coffee production facilities. This study intends to assess the microbial contamination (fungi and bacteria) in two coffee industries from Brazil with a multi-approach protocol for sampling and for subsequent analyses using four main sources of samples: filtering respiratory protection devices (FRPD) used by workers, settled dust, electrostatic dust cloths (EDC) and coffee beans. The fungal contamination in the assessed industries was also characterized through the molecular detection of toxigenic species and antifungal resistance. Total bacteria contamination presented the highest values in FRPD collected from both industries (7.45 × 104 CFU·m−2; 1.09 × 104 CFU·m−2). Aspergillus genera was widespread in all the environmental samples collected and sections with clinical relevance (Fumigati) and with toxigenic potential (Nigri and Circumdati) were recovered from FRPD. Circumdati section was observed in 4 mg/mL itraconazole. Sections Circumdati (EDC, coffee beans and settled dust) and Nidulantes (EDC, coffee beans and FRPD) were detected by qPCR. Some of the targeted Aspergillus sections that have been identified microscopically were not detected by qPCR and vice-versa. Overall, this study revealed that microbial contamination is a potential occupational risk in the milling stage and should be tackled when assessing exposure and performing risk assessment. In addition, a multi-sampling campaign should be the approach to follow when assessing microbial contamination and FRPD should be included in this campaign. Occupational exposure to mycotoxins should be considered due to high fungal diversity and contamination. A One Health approach should address these issues in order to prevent consumption of coffee crops and beans infected by fungi and, more specifically, to avoid widespread azole resistance.
KW - Aspergillus
KW - azole resistance
KW - milling stage
KW - multi-approach for sampling and analyses
KW - One Health approach
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85140747508&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph192013488
DO - 10.3390/ijerph192013488
M3 - Article
C2 - 36294069
AN - SCOPUS:85140747508
SN - 1661-7827
VL - 19
JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
IS - 20
M1 - 13488
ER -