Re: question

["Jon Campbell" <jon@cqs.com>]

Hi, Dennis,

      I have not seen a specific analysis of coffee, but given how it is
grown and processed, it is likely to have some dioxin on it:

1. Coffee growers apparently prefer to use the U.S.-banned pesticide
Dieldrin (I think this is discussed in Diet For A Small Planet, but may have
been somewhere else...). The pesticide residue is measureable in the coffee.

2. The coffee beans are roasted at fairly high temperature (450 F comes to
mind),

Dieldrin is a chlorinated aromatic, so it is probably contaminated with
dioxin to start with, and certainly the roasting process is going to produce
more.

Best to drink Cafe Altura, grown organically (Mexico, I believe).

Cheers (and Merry Xmas)
Jon Campbell

-----Original Message-----
From: Catalano, Dennis <catalad@wdni.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <dioxin-l@essential.org>
Date: Wednesday, December 24, 1997 12:01 PM
Subject: question


>Does anyone out on this list have any information on dioxin content in
>coffee?  I know coffee contains many nasty chemicals, but have not seen
>any info on dioxin.  I would think that the roasting process of the
>beans would form some.  I have been involved in coffee filter analysis,
>but if the coffee contains dioxin, what is the point of worrying about
>the trace levels found in the paper filter?
>
>Dennis Catalano
>