What is clean coffee — the factual definition?

The term "clean coffee" is not regulated by the FDA or any food safety authority. In food science, it refers to specialty-grade finished roasted coffee verified by independent third-party laboratory analysis to contain mycotoxins, heavy metals, and mold or yeast at or below instrument detection thresholds. The factual standard is a Certificate of Analysis from an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory showing Not Detected or below-threshold results for named compounds, tested on the finished roasted product — not raw green beans.

What is Ochratoxin A and why does it matter in coffee?

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin — a toxic chemical compound produced by certain mold species — that can form on coffee beans improperly dried or stored in high-humidity conditions. It is not fully destroyed by standard roasting temperatures. The U.S. FDA has not established a regulatory action level for OTA in coffee. The European Union, under Regulation (EU) 2023/915 (which replaced EC 1881/2006 in May 2023), sets a maximum of 3.0 micrograms per kilogram for roasted coffee — reduced from the prior 5.0 µg/kg limit effective January 1, 2023 under Regulation (EU) 2022/1370. George returned Not Detected for Ochratoxin A.

What is Aflatoxin B1 and what is the regulatory standard?

Aflatoxin B1 is classified as a Group 1 human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC — List of Classifications, Volume 100F). It belongs to the aflatoxin family produced by Aspergillus mold. The FDA establishes an action level of 20 parts per billion for total aflatoxins in human food. George was tested individually for Aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, and G2. All returned Not Detected.

Why does finished roasted product testing matter more than raw green bean testing?

Green bean testing is a critical preventative filter — it catches contamination at origin before a lot enters production. Finished product testing is the verification stage that confirms what the consumer actually receives: the roasted coffee in the bag. Rigorous testing protocols use both. The results published here reflect finished roasted product testing by FoodChain ID — the stage that directly verifies what is in every bag of George. Acrylamide, a compound that forms only during high-heat roasting, cannot be detected in raw beans at all; only finished product testing captures it. Post-roast contamination from storage or packaging environments is also invisible to green bean testing.

What does PJLA accreditation mean and what is FoodChain ID's certificate?

PJLA (Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation) is an ISO/IEC 17025-based accreditation body recognized by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). ISO/IEC 17025 is the international standard for laboratory competence — covering testing methodology, equipment calibration, staff qualifications, and quality management systems. FoodChain ID Testing, Inc. holds PJLA accreditation certificate L20-756, covering biological and microbiological testing including AOAC 997.02 yeast and mold analysis. A PJLA-accredited laboratory has had its technical competence independently verified by a recognized assessor. Accreditation is distinct from self-certification.

What does "Not Detected" mean versus a below-threshold numeric value?

"Not Detected" means the compound produced no signal at or above the instrument's limit of detection — the result is a clean absence at the stated detection limit. A below-threshold numeric value (such as <0.010 ppm or <10 CFU/g) means the instrument returned a value below its quantifiable range — the compound may be present in trace amounts indistinguishable from instrument background noise at extremely low concentrations. Both indicate the compound was not found at a measurable level. All mycotoxin compounds in this report returned Not Detected. Heavy metals and yeast/mold returned below-threshold numeric values at very low detection limits.

What heavy metals are tested and what are the reference standards?

George was tested for four heavy metals: Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead — using FDA Method EAM Version 4.7. All four returned below instrument detection thresholds (<0.010 ppm). Reference standards used include California Proposition 65 maximum allowable dose levels and EU Regulation 2023/915 maximum levels for contaminants in food.

What is specialty grade coffee and how is it confirmed for George?

Specialty grade is the highest classification in the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) grading system, requiring a score of 80 or above on a 100-point scale evaluated by a licensed Q Grader. At the green bean stage, a specialty grade 350-gram sample must contain zero primary defects and fewer than five secondary defects. George is confirmed specialty grade per SCA guidelines. The term "confirmed" is used precisely — SCA does not operate a product certification program. The grade is confirmed by a Q Grader applying SCA methodology.

Is George recorded on Ethereum and what does that mean?

Each issue in the Official Fellow Citizen registry is permanently recorded on Ethereum Mainnet under georgecoffee.eth. The ENS record exists independently — if officialfellowcitizen.com went offline tomorrow, georgecoffee.eth would still resolve on Ethereum. The on-chain record is not controlled by any website or company. This is a provenance record, publicly verifiable via Etherscan. It is not a token or NFT claim.