Fifty-seven coffee products from 45 top-selling brands were tested in a wide-ranging chemical screening.
Results found trace amounts of glyphosate, widespread AMPA (even in organic coffee), acrylamide, and phthalates — varying by roast, packaging, and origin.
For the cleanest cup: reach for dark or light roasts, avoid medium, and prefer bagged or pod packaging over cans; organic options still had AMPA.
Coffee fuels our mornings and brings people together — but what’s actually in that cup?
The Clean Label Project, a nonprofit that works to bring transparency to consumer products, teamed up with a lab to uncover what might be hiding beyond the nutrition facts.
Spoiler: “safe” on the label doesn’t always mean clean in the beans.
The study
The organization sampled 57 bestselling coffee products from 45 brands. They made their picks based on results from Nielsen, SPINS, Amazon, and organic market listings.
Researchers ran 7,069 contaminant tests. Everything from heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury) to mycotoxins, pesticides, phthalates, glyphosate, and AMPA (a glyphosate breakdown product) was measured.
The tests were conducted in an ISO/IEC 17025–accredited lab using advanced techniques.
The results
Here’s what they found:
Glyphosate turned up in just two samples — but AMPA showed up in 72% of them, including every single organic coffee, even though glyphosate is banned in organic farming.
Acrylamide, a byproduct of high-temp roasting, was in 100% of the samples. Though each cup was within EU limits, typical servings could push daily exposure beyond safety thresholds. Interestingly, light and dark roasts contained less acrylamide than medium roasts, and canned coffee had more than bagged or pod varieties.
Phthalates, linked to hormone disruption and other health concerns, were found in 70% of samples — especially in canned and pod packaging.
Choosing cleaner coffee
So, what can you do to make your cup of joe a little more guilt-free?
Opt for light or dark roasts, and steer clear of medium roasts when possible.
Go for coffees in bags or pods over cans to minimize phthalate exposure.
Organic doesn’t guarantee AMPA-free, but it typically has fewer industrial contaminants.
Consider the region — coffees from Africa tended to have lower heavy-metal levels, while volcanic Hawaiian soil often meant higher levels.
The Clean Label Project also identified 16 coffees that deliver on safety and purity, which means consumers can feel good about buying and drinking them. Here’s the list:
365 Whole Foods Market Caramel Medium Roast (bag)
Starbucks Colombia (pod)
Cameron’s Vanilla Hazlenut (bag)
Counter Culture Forty-six (bag)
Dunkin’ Hazelnut (bag)
Eight O’Clock Original Roast (bag)
Fabula Dark Roast (pod)
Great Value French Roast (pod)
Groundwork Organic Ethiopia (bag)
ILLY Classico (can)
Kicking Horse Three Sisters (bag)
Nespresso Diavolitto (pod)
Newman’s Own Special Blend (pod)
Peace Coffee Birchwood (bag)
San Francisco Rainforest Blend (pod)
Seattle’s Best Post Alley (bag)