As local coffee industry is currently being revitalized by the government's Department of Agriculture, (perhaps due to the increasing number of coffee drinkers and the seeming proliferation of coffee shops), there is a need to take a second look as to how safe this universal drink is.
The Postharvest bureau in a survey on the Occurence of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in Home- Grown Coffee revealed that samples from Davao and Tagaytay farms were laden with OTA beyond 5 ppb-acceptable level (even more than 25 ppb) which may pose risk of renal failure and kidney trouble. The toxin is produced by microganism Aspergillus ochraceus, A. niger or A. japonicum.
To prevent OTA contamination in our coffee drink, the Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE) is advocating safe postharvest practices for the beans such as hygienic handling, proper drying, storage and processing operations. Soon, a safe package of postharvest technology for coffee shall be made available in the industry as the Bureau is yet to complete its research on this commodity.
BPRE, formerly the National Postharvest Institute for Research and Extension (NAPHIRE), was created on May 24, 1978 through Presidential Decree (PD) 1380. It was tasked to spearhead the development of the country's postharvest industry. As then subsidiary of the National Grains Authority (NGA in 1980), BPRE's power and functions were expanded in line with the conversion of NGA into the National Food Authority (NFA). In 1986, BPRE became an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture through Executive Order (EO) 116. After six years, it was transformed into a Bureau through EO 494. And now, with the Republic Act 8435 the Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act (AFMA), BPRE takes the lead in providing more postharvest interventions to empower the agriculture, fishery and livestock sectors. (30)
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