# Pink mould on used puck



## Wando64 (Feb 28, 2011)

I have noticed that the used pucks of my favourite decaf coffee develop a very fine pink mould over a couple of days.

I am used to see pucks develop mould if left for long enough, but this is literally pink in colour and very, very fine; so much so that just moving the tray to empty it will cause clouds of the stuff to raise in the air (not nice at all).

I am starting to wonder if something specific to the caffeine extraction in this bean could be the cause, and also wandering about what it means and could it be dangerous.

Anyone else with the same?


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## 2cups (May 6, 2019)

It's probably anthrax. Did you happen to purchase the beans from a bloke called Ivan, round the back of Salisbury Cathedral?


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## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

@Wando64 - Erm, they are likely fungal spores. If they aren't very nice, why do you leave them hanging round for a few days?

I don't get why people have steel draw type knock boxes, they must get pretty grotty and damp inside unless emptied daily.


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## Wando64 (Feb 28, 2011)

Northern_Monkey said:


> I don't get why people have steel draw type knock boxes, they must get pretty grotty and damp inside unless emptied daily.


 Mine is a plastic box, not a draw, but yes they do get grotty... and full of pink mould.

If I empty it in my small composting bucket in the kitchen I am just transferring the problem from one place to another, therefore I am trying to empty it out directly in the compost bin in the garden but I just cant bring myself to take it outside every day.

Two days are enough for the stuff to develop.


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## tohenk2 (Oct 11, 2017)

You could pour some water over it before you move the plastic box? That way it is less likely to fly everywhere.


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## Catlady101 (Sep 26, 2020)

Hi, this is probably a bit late, I found your post as I am looking into this hype about mould on coffee beans and the toxins ( mycotoxins) but perhaps this may still be useful to you...

Pink mold is actually one of the more controversial molds. It has been proven that it is both a mold and a bacteria.

It likes to grow anywhere wet/damp and a good sample will begin to leave a slime residue behind.

safety - it is never ideal to breath in any mould spores but unless you are immunocompromised or are a child or elderly or have underlying serious health conditions affecting the pulmonary circulatory systems you should be ok.

The issue I would look at is the plumes - there are baby spore colonies and they can inhabit anythign - your washing machine, dishwasher, bathroom, sink, undersink cupbourd - temperature variance for this kind of mould is wide from 0 to over 100 degrees C - so the temperatures int he dishwasher and washing machine or even tumbledryer will not kill the mould, it might slow them down a bit but they are a feisty bunch and I would suggest popping a lid on your knock box or emtying it even more frequently than you do, simply to protect your home from this slime producing mould.

and if you happen to know any scientific info on mycotoxins in coffee I would be greatful - I have been scouring the internet and lets say I have found nothing scientific about the information and no detail on percentage mycotoxin in brewed coffee/ml over the last couple of weeks - but I did find the above inforamation a little while ago - I had bookmarked it for when I started composting coffee so I hope it is useful - I am not a scientist and the information above is gathered from a few sites on the internet so please do take it with a pinch of salt🙂


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

A quick search and I've found this: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/the-mycotoxins-in-coffee-myth#coffee-content

A bit odd that it's present in more brewed coffee than in raw coffee...


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## allikat (Jan 27, 2020)

I'd wash the thing out with boiling water, then mop the insides out with hand sanitiser, and leave it overnight to ensure everything in there is dead.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

allikat said:


> I'd wash the thing out with boiling water, then mop the insides out with hand sanitiser, and leave it overnight to ensure everything in there is dead.


 Gamma irradiation as well....just get yourself a Nice cobalt 60 source from ebay..


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