# Specialty micro coffee roastery - HACCP elements - complete newbie!



## HomeRoastery

Hello! I'm sure I need to spend some time digging through this wonderful forum but off chance someone here could help to point me in a more precise direction -

I'm and am trying to open a specialty coffee roastery. Full disclosure, my husband roasts and but I'm the one attempting to sort out all the paperwork from legal, environmental and operational point of view - have no industry knowledge so much of what I need (most?) for the HACCP document is deep dark woods for me but I'm learning. Nevertheless, may I ask what would you recommend to include in the "manual" to address the major hazard areas (as I'm told by the EHO chap) such as:

- toxins: bacteria, moulds, aflatoxins, other microbiological organisms etc. - which ones are the ones to list, how to measure them, with what, what are the ranges, what's the permitted deviation if any, source to validate and quote any numbers used? I've zero idea what I'm meant to highlight here at CCP and preventative action to take.

- chemical contamination: is there anything specific that i would need to list? Common sense dictates don't have any external chemicals near your green coffee beans, but is there anything industry-specific that i should know and therefore address please? Apologies in advance for dumb questions, which some I'm sure are, I'm just trying my best to put 'something' sensible together.

- physical contamination: I can think of stones and metals but i wonder if i need to have measures in place (screens, metal detector) if our bean provider has checks for these as their CCP already? Our council are being very cryptic of what they want to see addressed, so their help is as good as none. And would chipped fingernails be a CCP? Seems ludicrous to even mention it but I will include it under general personal hygiene.

- allergen contamination: is there any to worry about?! I wasn't sure what EHO meant by this. I suppose don't eat peanuts before touching green coffee and not washing hands... Joking but not joking??

He was also quite adamant I get an accredited lab to do a microbiological test as well as show moisture levels, water activity, pH levels (!?), and if I decided to buy necessary measuring instruments myself, to indicate acceptable values and reference source.

He also stressed importance of traceability and recall procedures, as well as additional procedures to ensure that entire HACCP framework is operating as it should.

Frankly, I'm at loss on all those points. Do you know of any sources of reference that I could use? Or maybe someone has a similar HACCP document that I could have a look at and maybe use some of the information to build onto? I realise it's different for each company, but surely chemical, biological and physical hazard CCP (topic- and measurement-wise) are the same for everyone in the coffee roasting business?

And finally, perhaps separately, if I were to spend money and buy all the instruments myself (everything is self-funded







), what exactly do I need to think about please? On my list I have:

- trade approved precision scales
- colour meter as an independent roast quality assessment tool (to be used alongside Artisan)
- moisture meter
- ?? What else i'm missing that's "A MUST HAVE"?

Do you guys use any other tools and what for? I read about salmonella strips (will look into it), what else I should be purchasing, gadget or H&S wise?

Finally, sorry this is so incredibly long - i just don't have anyone to ask! - if i'm a small roaster with one machine situation in a garage adjacent to home and selling exclusively online, do you think I need to write a risk procedure manual too? Say, identify possible risk - loose cables. Corrective action - ensure there are no loose cables lying around and becoming a trip hazard. Verification - check for loose cables before starting work every time.

THANK YOU so much in advance. I appreciate all of your help in advance.

Cheers,
Cynthia


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## Rob1

The production process is quite simple. Looks like you're following a guide for things more complex.

Somewhere to wash your hands is required to prevent contamination of the roasted/raw product. Raw product to be kept separate and handled separately to roasted product. Raw product to be kept off the floor, in sealed containers (they tend to come in grain pro or ecotact bags). Bear in mind it's being roasted around 240c for 12+ minutes. Roasted product to be either kept in sealed containers and bagged asap or bagged from the cooling tray and sealed.

The other stuff about PH, water activity, moisture content should be within acceptable ranges for specialty coffee as defined by SCA. I know water activity and moisture content is covered; PH probably is too. You're not going to get a lab to test every batch. The importer should have the information really.

Physical contamination: metal detector, manual sorting and inspection of batches. A disclaimer in the T&Cs.

The traceability and recall procedures are batch numbers, roast dates and stuff like that along with the contact info you collect on orders.

The stuff about toxins, pass. Preventative action is proper storage (if water activity and moisture are in the proper ranges). OTA is the most important mycotoxin in coffee and is subject to limits. So long as moisture content is maintained in the range of 10-13% the fungus that produces it can't survive so it's all about proper storage really.


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## Rob1

Also check this. Plenty of info here: https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/starting-a-food-business-from-home


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## HomeRoastery

Thank you Rob, appreciate you getting back to me - and indeed, i have checked that and other gov.uk websites relating to starting a business from home. Much of further checks (contacting valuation office, planning department etc.) has come from that, too. From chats with people elsewhere, it seems like our county is a LOT stricter than others and i've been asked to include information in HACCP document that isn't required elsewhere. Sigh!


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## Ted_Kent

Have you looked into using the safer food better business handbook instead? Its much easier to use as a small operation.

I use this for my mobile coffee van as EHO only requires the SFBB as the HACCP is over the top for my application.

My roastery is not required to be checked by EHO as we are classed as production according to EHO. I still run a seperate SFBB though to keep track of where stock has come from, pest control systems, cleaning processes and batch control etc etc. Equally I have to ensure packaging etc meets trading standards and anything with a weight on has been weighed by scales with a calibration certificate thats in date (weights and measures)

I have done risk assessments along with action on cards for thing like fire etc.

The hardest thing I found was insurance. My roastery is in a purpose built 15m x 5m garage (built to house spec, so it can be easily turned into a annex if I move) 10m is garage and 5m is roastery with a solid wall between joined by a fire door. Because part is used residentially and part business I found it hard to insure, especially when they get told its for coffee roasting, something they don't really understand. The best explanation to them was its basically the same as home bakers who register as a food business and sell to the public. Some insurers wouldn't cover but some would, doubling my premium.


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## HomeRoastery

Hello @Ted_Kent,

Thanks for your post! Our EHO classed as 'manufacturer' and said that SFBB is "definitely" not applicable to us. If we started serving coffee out of a van/trailer etc., he'd class as a 'caterer'. But because our main business activity would be roasting, he strongly felt it's a far more complex proposition and requires a proper review. 🙄 I questioned the logic and pushed back but I think it did not do any favours..

What do you have in place for pest control, cleaning processes, batch control etc? Do you have those written down on a paper? I'm trying to figure out if prerequisites is something you know you need to adhere to, or does all of it need to be noted down...

Action cards for fire...? Erm... not familiar with that! 😁 do they look like??

On practical level, re: traceability and batch control, do you use software or good old excel spreadsheets?

And packaging, everyone's fan of stream '4' LDPE bags and some attach thermal print labels on top of that (BPA risk?) and some do nothing, just a LDPE bag inside a carton box (say, Lost Sheep Coffee). Cool combo but financially out of reach for me right now. I wanted to do LDPE bags with a home-printed label but then ran into issue of toxin migration from ink, so guessing at home printed labels are a no-no and all has to be done with veg inks....

There's so much to think about and it's all quite confusing for someone like me, with zero retail/manufacturing experience. I've been just a happy consumer so far  haha

HACCP document is sort of coming together. I've addressed a lot of hazard areas which are of very low probability but I understood still need to be noted/reflected and then scored. Once this piece is behind me, I'll have to figure out what other paperwork I need in place (sent email to EHO - still waiting to hear back...!) and then onto trying to find best/most cost effective packaging and labelling solutions.

This venture was meant to be relatively low cost but it's turning into a beast!


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## DavecUK

You could spend a year preparing and they would still find something wrong.

Set up your roasted area, separate greens from roasted and the utensils, have hand washing and white coats etc.. paint the walls white. Have fire extinguishers and a First aid kit and a few safety signs. Put some mousetraps down. Have a procedures book with a few procedures and HSA information in. Have decent retail scales, bag sealer and keep batch information batch number/date is enough

*Then start roasting. When they inspect you, if they do they will identify some things for you to do...just do them.*

You know more about roasting than them...whatever they ask will be pretty basic stuff. If you overthink this, you will be massively over prepared and if you lots of things in, then you simply give them more things to check, worry about and comment on. Stop overthinking it.

e.g.



> And packaging, everyone's fan of stream '4' LDPE bags and some attach thermal print labels on top of that (BPA risk?) and some do nothing, just a LDPE bag inside a carton box (say, Lost Sheep Coffee). Cool combo but financially out of reach for me right now. I wanted to do LDPE bags with a home-printed label but then ran into issue of toxin migration from ink, so guessing at home printed labels are a no-no and all has to be done with veg inks....
> 
> There's so much to think about and it's all quite confusing for someone like me, with zero retail/manufacturing experience. I've been just a happy consumer so far  haha


 How did you run into the issue of Toxin Migration through ink, do you really think they are going to check that. I use a thermal printer straight onto sticky labels anyway...you are tying yourself in knots with this, don't create a problem for yourself out of nothing and don't ask permission to do something because you just give them extra to think and worry about e.g. can I use this sort of label? is the wrong question! Just use what you want....


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## Ted_Kent

To be honest it sounds like you have a EHO that has no idea about coffee roasting so is getting you to do the maximum required, so if it goes wrong he is covered. Rules are hugely different per area.

Process like cleaning is easy, keep it clean and use commercial products available at wholesalers like bookers, household products are often a EHO point of change on inspections. If you clean the floor write down how you do it and what you use, a flick through the SFBB will give examples for you to copy and use elsewhere. Same for pest control etc and a waste management system (they don't like commercial waste going in the household bins and again is another EHO point people often get picked up on) maybe worth asking what they expect for hand washing and equipment washing facilities, do you need two sinks or just one being low risk? I fitted two just incase I wanted to expand into baking etc.

Action on cards I created that are on the wall, so in the event of fire If I panic and forget the process in Daves manual its there. Process becomes second nature until a problem is thrown into the mix. Batch control and traceability is mixed, batches are logged per roast on Artisan profile software, that tells me what coffee it is and then I have all the coffee details on my invoices from the green coffee seller, I also pop the coffee spec sheet in with the invoice so I can look back at bean variety, farm etc etc

Packaging i am just looking at myself, ive been using some basic pouches and handwriting the contents on. I've seen variety of pouches in use with different label/stamps on. The gold standard at the moment is everything compostable/recyclable (pouch, label inc glue, ink/stamp) thats very high cost in small volume though and is something not many small roasters are doing.

Dave hits the nail on the head. When/if they inspect they will find issue with something. It will have nothing to do with roasting unless they do some basic reading about not cross contaminating green and roasted coffee (get colour coded kit, my green coffee has green scoops and buckets, nothing else uses green equipment, write it down its a cross contamination process for the book). They will find fault with a basic process so take a food hygiene course online, understand allergens etc etc. Most of it will be unrelated but its the basics that they will be looking into.


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## RDC8

DavecUK said:


> You know more about roasting than them


 From my own experience in getting "certified", Dave is absolutely correct here.

Unless there are a large number of small roasteries in your area, your EHO guy has probably made a quick google search, picked up on a lot of US-originated red-tape, and assumed that is the way it ought to be done!

Hand-washing was a little more tricky for me as I have no running water in the roasting shed; so my EHO guy was happy for me to use a basin with warm soapy water!

All the previous advice on this thread is spot on. The only two other things I would suggest; 1aint/seal the floor so it can be easily cleaned 2:store your greens off the floor (mine are on pallets)


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## HomeRoastery

Hello folks! Looong night/morning with kiddos, pardon if I end up writing gibberish at some point. 😛 Only on my 3rd cup of coffee at the moment...

Thank you @DavecUK, @Ted_Kent and @RDC8 for your replies. All very true and very valid. I've decided to bear my bones here and keep you all updated, as you have been so kind and helpful. It may feel like spoon-feeding to you, but I do appreciate it all and with this particular (HACCP) exercise have noticed that I am indeed overthinking and over-complicating things out of fear to miss out something 'vital'. Sigh. I have now removed points that probably don't carry much weight and EHO doesn't need to think about (gaseous pollutants, heavy metal traces, fingernails anyone?? 🤓). It's easy to get lost in this or that rabbit hole at 2am in the morning and there's plenty of those, that's for sure!

So true re: EHO @Ted_Kent, I get the feeling that's exactly what happened. His signature says 'trainee' so there you have it. That makes two of us!

Right. So this is exactly where I am right now:

*Principal set-up *

Roaster in a garage that's separate from a garage. Currently used as storage. Stuff will be removed and ceiling/walls/floor painted white. Roaster back in and we will possibly separate garage in half - one part for roasting, other part for storing household and garden stuff. Or maybe not! Regardless, it will be easily cleaned and looking neat. 

We have dedicated one room in the house for coffee operations, we have even called it a 'coffee room' 😊. One side has a cabinet on which there's the Osmio water filter (was so excited to get it!!), espresso machine and a grinder. Inside the cabinet, cupping accessories. On the other side of the room, green coffee propped on pallets (currently have 3 bags, planning to get at least 3 more). We are hoping to put a table in there too where quality check/packaging/sealing/labelling station will be. So I'm guessing my first hazard here - green coffee beans in proximity to finished product (not touching but still!?). No idea how anal the visiting EHO will be. Not a hazard in my eyes, but here I am, overthinking 'what if' scenario again...

In agreement with previous advice, we'll have colour coded tools like scoops and buckets for handling green & roasted coffee. 👍

*Gadgets*

- Trade approved scales (check)

- Moisture meter: was told Sinar 6070 is the bees knees as tolerance level is 0.3% vs 0.5% (and who needs a crazy expensive one with 0.1% accuracy unless they're a lab!?) but the price tag is steep. Still need to decide & order... Wile and plenty of other popular ones in the market have 0.5% tolerance. Feels like better sensitivity will go a long way, especially in the light of the newest guidance for mc. to be 11.5%...??

- Colour meter: do you guys use it? Feels like we can do without it and follow good old sensible approach and 'eying' the colour

- Sealer (check)

*Lab tests*

Made a few calls and was told we will need (at least) yearly accredited lab tests for OTA and acrylamide, first one to be done before EHO pays us a visit. So no tests before moisture meter arrives and new coffee ordered. Results in 5-10 working days, apparently.

*Green coffee *

Checking out Falcon, Olam, Mercanta, Cafe Imports, Omwani. Any others that you like and could recommend?

*Packaging/Labelling*

I quite like bag broker's white LDPE bags with valve (our community around here is all about recyclable/compostable/sustainable materials and living). I want to put some home-printed Avery clear labels on that are made of PP, but PP+LDPE = non-recybable. Back to drawing board. Don't want to use kraft paper, don't fancy the look of it, so it will be something that merrily goes together with LDPE from recycling perspective.

Regarding ink.@DavecUK, I didn't run into issue per se as I didn't do any tests but I did contact Avery who said that I'd need to prove that my packaging acts as a barrier to stop ink getting through... Not sure if that's a move to switch me to their printed service (they use veg inks) or just them keeping distance. The chance of ink getting through 1) label and 2) LPDE bag are nil, but again, how anal EHO might be?

Alternatively, I might look into ordering labels but that's not very cost effective.

Actually, not much about starting a roastery is cost-effective 😜

Right, need to put kids to bed (again!), will be back with more thoughts.

TTYS!


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## Rob1

HomeRoastery said:


> *Lab tests*
> 
> Made a few calls and was told we will need (at least) yearly accredited lab tests for OTA and acrylamide, first one to be done before EHO pays us a visit. So no tests before moisture meter arrives and new coffee ordered. Results in 5-10 working days, apparently.


 Out of curiosity who told you this?

And the Wile, Agratronix or Draminski meters are all fine. You can use pretty much any moisture meter if you calibrate it by drying a sample of beans in an oven at 100c and weighing them (weight difference being moisture loss).


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## HomeRoastery

Rob1 said:


> Out of curiosity who told you this?


 Erm ... why, doesn't it sound right either?? 😳🤔

Originally, it was the same EHO who mentioned I need accredited lab tests to prove that my HACCP system is working 'properly'. When I questioned the necessity and what actually is meant by that specifically, he said they will definitely want to see it as part of my validation study and pointed towards micro-biological test and shelf-life test, to be precise. As HACCP should be reviewed yearly, I assume validation studies are done yearly too? Unless there's an actual issue, of course, by definition you would need to do it more often.

Regardless, I didn't like the prospect of having to do any regular lab tests, so did further digging (called roasteries and also lab people) and turns out neither of those are terribly important. Instead, OTA and acrylamide tests should be done. I understand it's the law?? Haven't devoted time to finding a specific paragraph though, but given seniority of people that I spoke I took it as gospel.

I see why lab people would want "at least one or two" tests a year (hello, fast income) but a couple roasters mentioned it as well, aka best practice, which made me re-think my attitude and commit to this 'requirement'... Now, whether that happens in real life or not, I cannot say but that's the foundation I'm working with. EHO wants it? OK. Required by law? OK. Others do it? (apparently) OK -->I guess I'll be doing it, too.

Furthermore, for what it's worth, having sat till 3am last night working on this silly HACCP thing online, I can confirm that it is one of the points required. Quote (taken from a list of practical steps to follow):



Targeted microbiological and/or chemical sampling of intermediate and final products to ensure that the food is meeting expected standards.


So either EHO is being very silly (probable), I'm being very silly (very possible) or requirements based on HACCP are much stricter than based on SFBB. OR, as I'm starting to suspect, EHO has shoved me in the same bucket as a big monstrous manufacturing plant employing hundreds of people, but left me on my own devices to figure out what's truly applicable, and what shape it takes.

I just so wish, truly, that I didn't have to do this HACCP paperwork. That I could stick with SFBB only, but alas, apparently no-easy-way-out for me.

(I need to practice forming more succinct responses!! If you've made it to the end, thanks for your patience 😜)


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## HomeRoastery

Rob1 said:


> And the Wile, Agratronix or Draminski meters are all fine. You can use pretty much any moisture meter if you calibrate it by drying a sample of beans in an oven at 100c and weighing them (weight difference being moisture loss).


 Thank you! Didn't even realise you can do that. Frankly, I didn't know we need a moisture meter until about a week or two ago. Told you I'm a complete newbie... Thankfully I'm not the one roasting haha 😂


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## HomeRoastery

Actually, let me edit that. The moisture meter is for measuring moisture content in green beans, as it needs to be within 9-11.5% range to avoid risk of OTA. To avoid risk of ANY fungal toxins, not just OTA, that drops to 11.1%. So it's not about loss of mass, but present moisture as an indicator of water activity.


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## DavecUK

I'll reiterate my advice: keep it very, very simple. See if you have a business first and what type/amount of business it is. Don't try and comply with everything beforehand, or things you think you need or "avery told you". Wait for them to issue an advisory, then comply only with what they tell you if it cannot be challenged.

If you use a dedicated room in the house, there could be capital gains issues when you sell the house, Insurance might become a problem

Get roasting and let them tell you where you need to comply and what you need to do, it's unlikely they will shut you down...I really think you are overcomplicating things for yourself.

You are close to disappearing up your own tryer with all this planning


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## HomeRoastery

DavecUK said:


> You are close to disappearing up your own tryer with all this planning


 haha 😃😃😃 You're definitely right on that!

Ok, I'll just give it a go then. Submit what I have (simplified), and wait for their guidance. The whole thing has got my brain twisted. My day job is in the industry that's heavily regulated and scrutinised, so in some ways I cannot shake that kind of thinking. THANK YOU to all of you. Truly.

I shall keep you all posted for reading pleasure with possible entertainment value!


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## cengland117

@DaveC has this nailed on. I got stressed out just reading your posts 😅 coffee roasting is about as low risk as it gets from an EHO perspective. It's mostly common sense and about taking reasonable sensible steps to prevent reasonably foreseeable issues. Bit tricky at the moment but you should think about visiting a roastery/coffee shop that roasts on the premises to get a feel for how they have things set up and arranged.

I would insist on trying to deal with someone else if you can because it sounds like you are getting the book thrown at you by a jobsworth which has sent you down a rabbit hole.


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## HomeRoastery

cengland117 said:


> @DaveC has this nailed on. I got stressed out just reading your posts 😅


 LOL! Sorry, not intended - but yeah, it hasn't been an easy ride. Hence I'm so grateful of this forum, you guys ROCK.



cengland117 said:


> I would insist on trying to deal with someone else if you can because it sounds like you are getting the book thrown at you by a jobsworth which has sent you down a rabbit hole.


 Didn't think I can get a different officer. I emailed this EHO's manager (for some reason he thought I may want to submit an official complaint about him...) to ask for his/her guidance on the predicament I'm in and - surprise surprise - not heard back either. Still. I might give the department a buzz tomorrow and see where it takes me. Seems like I've got nothing to lose!

To be continued...


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## Rob1

Yeah contact them and ask why you can't follow SFBB. You aren't manufacturing instant coffee. Sampling for OTA and acrylamide is arbitrary unless you do it on every sack of coffee and every batch you roast. It's like expecting a chef to take a sample from every steak they cook and send it away for lab testing for acrylamide and contamination.


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## HomeRoastery

Rob1 said:


> Yeah contact them and ask why you can't follow SFBB. You aren't manufacturing instant coffee. Sampling for OTA and acrylamide is arbitrary unless you do it on every sack of coffee and every batch you roast. It's like expecting a chef to take a sample from every steak they cook and send it away for lab testing for acrylamide and contamination.


 I agree it's all pretty questionable. However when I first pushed back on HACCP and asked about SFBB, I was told food producers/manufacturers cannot follow it. If we were a catering business it would be fine. Maybe we need to repivot operations - be a mobile van serving coffee and roasting "on the side" so that we can comply with SFBB.....
Official guidance shows SFBB applies to



caterers


retailers


Indian cuisine


Chinese cuisine in English


Chinese cuisine in Cantonese


childminders


residential care homes


teaching resources for colleges


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## Rob1

Well I looked at the acrylamide toolbox from the eu (followed a link from food standards). Their section on coffee is good and comes to the simple conclusion that there are no mitigating steps to be taken (an enzyme they use won't penetrate the beans and other methods like special roasting equipment they developed don't alter acrylamide levels significantly) so testing for it is kind of pointless given you won't be doing anything to control it. Your section on this matter in your document could basically be a summary of what is written in the official guidance.

Did you contact small batch roasteries or large commercial ones supplying supermarkets?


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## HomeRoastery

Rob1 said:


> Well I looked at the acrylamide toolbox from the eu (followed a link from food standards). Their section on coffee is good and comes to the simple conclusion that there are no mitigating steps to be taken (an enzyme they use won't penetrate the beans and other methods like special roasting equipment they developed don't alter acrylamide levels significantly) so testing for it is kind of pointless given you won't be doing anything to control it. Your section on this matter in your document could basically be a summary of what is written in the official guidance.


 Yeah, I'm putting something along those lines in there.

Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 stipulates identification of critical roast conditions to ensure minimal acrylamide formation within the target flavour profile. It also notes that it may not be possible for all coffee types depending on blend and roast characteristics. There is no officially defined tolerable intake level limit, however the currently set benchmark level for presence of acrylamide in roast coffee is 400 µg/kg as a guidance that applies from 11 April 2018 to present date (for those who are still curious, European Commission will review this at some point in 2021, FYI).



Rob1 said:


> Did you contact small batch roasteries or large commercial ones supplying supermarkets?


 Micro and small-medium sized. Micro guys outside our county (but in UK) and medium sized in UK and Scotland. Not masses, just a few - thankfully friendly enough - houses that were happy to answer on my random and I'm sure wildly bewildering questions . Findings? Everyone does things little bit different (though I wasn't comparing apples for apples) but nobody I spoke with had to go through what I've been asked to prepare right from the outset. One guy said lab tests are good idea but yearly at most and they are running a very decent-sized operation.

On the other spectrum, someone else said their EHO basically held their hand through the process and off they merrily went roasting and now are a contract away from supplying to a supermarket chain. And only at this point, couple years later, they were enquired about their HACCP protocol and other fun things such at supplier verification, recall tests etc.

I feel like a guinea pig! 😀😆


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## MWJB

Rob1 said:


> Well I looked at the acrylamide toolbox from the eu (followed a link from food standards). Their section on coffee is good and comes to the simple conclusion that there are no mitigating steps to be taken (an enzyme they use won't penetrate the beans and other methods like special roasting equipment they developed don't alter acrylamide levels significantly) so testing for it is kind of pointless given you won't be doing anything to control it. Your section on this matter in your document could basically be a summary of what is written in the official guidance.
> 
> Did you contact small batch roasteries or large commercial ones supplying supermarkets?


 I thought 2017/2158 made acrylamide sampling a necessity?


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## HomeRoastery

MWJB said:


> I thought 2017/2158 made acrylamide sampling a necessity?


 That's what the lab people told me, too... There's now a set benchmark level, which will be reviewed this year for the first time.


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## DavecUK

MWJB said:


> I thought 2017/2158 made acrylamide sampling a necessity?


 It does but for smaller FBOs and Micro businesses they should be proportionate measures in line with the size of the business, especially if it's mainly local supply. For those only mitigation measures rather than testing is necessary. According to UK government guidance.


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## Rob1

MWJB said:


> I thought 2017/2158 made acrylamide sampling a necessity?


 Possibly, i don't know. But it seems pointless when there's nothing you can do about it and the official guidance says as much. The only thing that you could do is roast dark, apparently, which doesn't alter things that much anyway. As far as I could make out you must take mitigating measures as far as possible unless they impact on taste e.g the 'toolbox' I looked at mentioned roast colour as being part of a designed profile based on taste that couldn't be changed without impacting flavour and so didn't list it as a mitigating measure.

As Dave says the legislation is not supposed to burden small businesses.


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## DavecUK

When I teach roasting, i mention reducing Acrylamide and OTA in coffee.

1. Don't use robusta, much higher in Acrylamide

2. Always roast beyond the end of first crack

3. Don't roast too fast, aim for 13 m+

4. Don't roast too light (too many roasters do with the 3rd wave thing)

5. Frogs not toads, ensure temps and times are enough to get proper bean development

6. Ensure roasting temps are high enough to in your particular roaster.


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## MWJB

Rob1 said:


> Possibly, i don't know. But it seems pointless when there's nothing you can do about it and the official guidance says as much. The only thing that you could do is roast dark, apparently, which doesn't alter things that much anyway. As far as I could make out you must take mitigating measures as far as possible unless they impact on taste e.g the 'toolbox' I looked at mentioned roast colour as being part of a designed profile based on taste that couldn't be changed without impacting flavour and so didn't list it as a mitigating measure.
> 
> As Dave says the legislation is not supposed to burden small businesses.


 I think the main idea was to establish norms & gain data. Indeed, there isn't much that can be done without damaging the taste.


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