Short Communication Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus hampei )—A Vector for Toxigenic Molds and Ochratoxin A Contamination in Coffee Beans Kulandaivelu Velmourougane, 1 Rajeev Bhat, 2 and Thirukonda Nannier Gopinandhan 3 Abstract Coffee berry borer (CBB, Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari) is a common insect pest in coffee plantations and is a suspected vector of various mycotoxin-producing molds. In the present study, field trials were undertaken consecutively for 3 years to evaluate the impact of CBB on the microbial contamination of Arabica and Robusta coffee bean varieties, with emphasis laid toward ochratoxin A (OTA)-producing fungi. Results revealed higher microbial contamination in CBB-infested beans in both the varieties of coffee with the presence of toxigenic molds (such as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus). The ‘‘timely harvested’’ coffee, which was infested with CBB, was found to possess comparatively lesser OTA levels than those berries left in soil or on coffee plants. Studies carried out on coffee beans collected from nine curing factories indicated the presence of OTA in almost all the CBB-infested coffee beans, irrespective of the variety. Results of the present study provide sufficient baseline information and evidence to understand and correlate the role of CBB with various OTA-producing molds in coffee beans. Understanding the role of CBB might be useful and applicable in the coffee-growing regions of the world, especially in plantations for production of quality coffee. Introduction R ecent reports available on the occurrence of ochra- toxin A (OTA) in various food commodities is of a major concern in the international market (Bhat et al., 2010). OTA is a mycotoxin produced by molds such as Aspergillus ochraceus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus carbonarius, and Penicillium ver- rucosum, which is reported to have nephrotoxic and potential carcinogenic properties (Batista et al., 2009; Bhat et al., 2010). In view of OTA’s toxigenic nature, some of the coffee-importing countries have already implemented maximum permissible limits for OTA in coffee products (Duarte et al., 2009; Bhat et al., 2010). Of late, determination of OTA levels in various types of coffee samples (green as well as processed) have been exten- sively carried out along with providing predictive models (Patel et al., 1997; Silva et al., 2000; Batista et al., 2003; Pardo et al., 2006; Astoreca et al., 2007). Even though reports are available on the presence of mycotoxin-producing fungal spores in soil, air, coffee beans, plants, and coffee wastes in the plantations, there is no report available so far regarding the route of OTA into coffee beans. In most of the coffee-growing regions of the world, coffee berry borer (CBB, Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari, Family: Sco- lytidae, Order: Coleoptera) is a major insect pest, and damage to the beans is caused by both adult and larva, as they feed and reproduce in the dry matter content of the endosperm of the coffee berry, leading to a reduced yield and quality of coffee (Le Pelley, 1968; Murphy and Moore, 1990; Baker et al., 1992). This insect pest is highly difficult to manage mainly because of their cryptic life cycle, which is spent inside the coffee berry (Damon, 2000; Rehner et al., 2006). For long time it has been suspected that this insect pest can be a possible carrier (vector) of pathogenic microorganisms, especially mycotoxin-producing ones, in coffee plantations. Reports are available wherein fungal spores of A. ochraceus, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Verticillium sp. were recovered from CBB females in coffee plantations (Vega et al., 1999). Also, associ- ation of CBB with Fusarium sp. and Paecilomyces lilacinus have been reported (Perez et al., 1996; Posada et al., 1998). However, to our knowledge, no detailed reports are available correlat- ing CBB as a vector of toxigenic molds in coffee beans. Con- sidering the above facets, the present article reports the findings of the detailed investigations undertaken on CBB (in 1 Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Central Institute of Cotton Research, Nagpur, India. 2 Food Technology Division, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia. 3 Coffee Research Substation, Indian Coffee Board, North Coorg, India. FOODBORNE PATHOGENS AND DISEASE Volume 7, Number 10, 2010 ª Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2010.0571 1279