HACCP for Coffee Roasteries: A Complete EU Compliance Guide

Introduction

Many coffee roasteries overlook acrylamide mitigation documentation, putting themselves at risk of non-compliance with EU Regulation 2017/2158. This oversight can lead to significant penalties and compromise your business's reputation. Don't let your hard work in roasting be overshadowed by a simple paperwork failure.

What You'll Learn

• How to properly inspect and store green beans to minimize mould and ochratoxin A risk.
• The importance of logging roast profiles for acrylamide mitigation and traceability.
• Best practices for maintaining hygiene and preventing foreign body contamination in your roasting process.

What Auditors Check First

• Acrylamide Mitigation Documentation:
  • Are you logging roast profiles and adhering to benchmarks?
• Green Bean Storage Conditions:
  • Are beans stored at 15-25°C and below 65% relative humidity to prevent mould growth?
• Traceability Records:
  • Can you trace roasted coffee back to specific green bean lots as required by EC 178/2002?

Hazards Specific to Coffee Roasteries

Biological Hazards: The primary biological hazards in coffee roasteries are Ochratoxin A (OTA) and Salmonella. OTA is a mycotoxin found in green coffee beans, especially robusta from wet-processed origins. Salmonella is unlikely in roasted coffee but can be present in green beans stored in humid conditions.

On a busy Saturday when a shipment of green beans arrives during a humid spell, you may overlook visible signs of mould or moisture. Inspect every sack for visible mould and use a moisture meter to ensure the content is below 12.5%. Reject any sacks that do not meet this standard.

Chemical Hazards: Acrylamide is a significant chemical hazard, formed during roasting at temperatures above 120°C. Under EU Regulation 2017/2158, the benchmark level for acrylamide in roast coffee is set at 400 µg/kg.

During a peak roasting session, if the roast profile is not logged accurately, you risk exceeding acrylamide levels. Log the time-temperature curve for every batch to ensure compliance and traceability. Maintain roast temperatures and times that prevent acrylamide formation, aiming for lighter roasts whenever possible.

Physical Hazards: Foreign bodies such as stones, metal fragments, and string can be present in green bean sacks. This risk is heightened if the destoner/grading equipment is not cleaned between different origins.

On a busy production day, if the equipment hasn't been cleaned, a foreign body from a previous batch could contaminate the current roast. Implement a strict cleaning protocol for all equipment after each use and inspect every batch of green beans for debris before processing.

Seasonal Considerations

During the autumn and winter months, humidity levels in UK warehouses can rise significantly, increasing the risk of mould and OTA formation. Ensure that your green bean storage area is equipped with a dehumidifier or climate control system to maintain relative humidity below 65%.

With the arrival of new harvests, freshly processed beans may have higher moisture content than previous lots. Test each new origin for moisture content upon arrival and reject any that exceed the 12.5% threshold to prevent mould growth.

Critical Control Points

• Green Bean Intake
  • What to measure:
    • Inspect for visible mould, foreign bodies, and moisture content < 12.5%.
  • How to monitor:
    • Use a moisture meter for each incoming sack; check visually for mould and foreign objects upon intake.
  • What to do when the limit is breached:
    • Reject any sacks that are wet or visibly mouldy. Document the rejection for traceability.
• Roast Profile Logging
  • What to measure:
    • Log time-temperature curve for every batch.
  • How to monitor:
    • Use a digital data logger that records temperature at specified intervals throughout the roasting process.
  • What to do when the limit is breached:
    • Adjust the roast profile immediately to prevent excess acrylamide formation. Re-log the corrected profile.
• Acrylamide Mitigation
  • What to measure:
    • Ensure acrylamide levels are at or below 400 µg/kg.
  • How to monitor:
    • Send samples of roasted coffee for laboratory testing according to EU Regulation 2017/2158.
  • What to do when the limit is breached:
    • Modify the roast profile to create lighter roasts, which typically yield lower acrylamide levels. Document changes.
• Cooling After Roast
  • What to measure:
    • Ensure beans cool to ambient temperature (< 30°C) within 5 minutes.
  • How to monitor:
    • Use a thermometer to measure bean temperature immediately after roasting.
  • What to do when the limit is breached:
    • Increase air cooling capacity or adjust cooling methods to meet the required time. Document the cooling process.

Common Mistakes

• Mistake:
  • No acrylamide mitigation documentation → Fix: Maintain a detailed roast profile log for every batch.
• Mistake:
  • Green bean storage in damp conditions → Fix: Implement humidity monitoring and use climate control systems.
• Mistake:
  • No traceability from roasted bag back to specific green bean lot → Fix: Establish a system for tracking each batch from intake to final product.

Supplier management is vital for maintaining the quality and safety of your coffee. Proper checks during receiving can prevent contaminants and ensure traceability. Focus on lot-specific documentation and the condition of incoming green beans.

Delivery Acceptance Checklist

• Demand lot-specific OTA test certificate (must be <5.0 µg/kg per EC 1881/2006).
• Test moisture content of incoming green beans - reject if >12.5% (mould growth threshold).
• Verify origin traceability:
  • farm/estate, processing method, and export lot number.
• Inspect packaging materials (bags, boxes, labels) for food-grade certification and odour-free condition.

When to Reject a Delivery

• Visible mould on green bean sacks or beans.
• Moisture content exceeds 12.5%, indicating potential for mould growth.
• Missing or incomplete lot-specific OTA certificates.
• Packaging shows signs of damage or contamination.

Daily Monitoring Checklist

• Inspect green beans for visible mould and foreign bodies.
• Check moisture content of green beans using a moisture meter; reject if >12.5%.
• Log roast profile for every batch, including time and temperature.
• Cool roasted beans to ambient temperature (<30°C) within 5 minutes.
• Monitor humidity levels in green bean storage; maintain <65% RH.

What Records Auditors Expect

• Roast profile logs documenting time-temperature curves for each batch.
• Moisture content test results for incoming green beans.
• Lot-specific OTA test certificates for green beans (<5.0 µg/kg).
• Traceability records linking roasted bags back to specific green bean lots.
• Cleaning records for destoner/grading equipment between origins.

Staff Training Requirements

• Roasters:
  • Understand acrylamide benchmark levels (400 µg/kg) and how roast profile affects acrylamide formation; lighter roasts = lower acrylamide.
• Warehouse Staff:
  • Follow green bean storage protocol: keep beans off the ground on pallets, maintain 15-25°C, <65% RH, and use FIFO rotation.
• QC/Cupping Team:
  • Adhere to hygiene during cupping sessions; clean spoons, avoid double-dipping, and follow rinse protocol.
• All Staff:
  • Be aware of allergens; pure coffee has no allergens, but flavoured coffees may contain milk, nuts, soy, gluten-always check flavouring specifications.

In summary, coffee roasteries must comply with EU regulations regarding acrylamide levels (EU Regulation 2017/2158), ochratoxin A limits in roasted coffee (EC 1881/2006), and traceability requirements from green beans to finished product (EC 178/2002 Art. 18). Maintain proper storage conditions for green beans as outlined in EC 852/2004 Annex II Ch.

IX(5). Implementing these regulations will help mitigate risks associated with food safety in your roastery.

Quick-Start Action Plan

1. Inspect all green bean deliveries for visible mould and foreign bodies.
2. Test moisture content of incoming beans; reject any over 12.5%.
3. Log roast profiles for every batch, ensuring traceability and acrylamide documentation.
4. Set up a dehumidifier in your storage area to maintain humidity below 65%.
5. Train staff on acrylamide mitigation and proper hygiene practices during cupping sessions.

Generate your free Coffee Roasteries HACCP plan at ilovehaccp.com/builder - it takes under 10 minutes and covers all the points in this guide.

For practical implementation, review the-7-principles-of-haccp-explained-with-real-examples and defining-critical-limits-that-pass-audits before finalizing your HACCP records.