There is no place in the world where you don’t know and drink coffee! It is loved for its effect stimulating and for his sensory characteristics. Furthermore, in human and commercial history, coffee has played a key role, leading to the development of both new processing systems and new forms of consumption. However, coffee contains both beneficial and toxic substances. Among the latter there is theacrylamidea compound that develops above all during the roasting of the beans. The strategies of acrylamide mitigation in coffee they mainly focus on the selection of raw materials, the optimization of the roasting process and the introduction of innovative treatments. However, many of these strategies face the challenge of maintaining the sensory and qualitative characteristics of coffee, which are fundamental to its acceptance by consumers. As far as we are concerned, there is no scientific evidence to show that stirring coffee reduces acrylamide, but we can hypothesize that, being a volatile molecule, it would evaporate thanks to stirring.
What is acrylamide and how is it formed in coffee
Acrylamide is a toxic compound that forms during the preparation of some foods at very high temperatures (over 120°C). In coffee, it is formed during the roasting process which reaches temperatures above 200°C. This is a by-product of the reaction that occurs between an amino acid present in coffee beans, called asparagine, and sugars, such as glucose and fructose. This reaction, called the Maillard reaction, is also responsible for the development of the characteristic aromas and colors of roasted coffee.

It is worth specifying that, as reported in the monograph of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), acrylamide is present not only in coffee, but also in fried foods, baked goods and cigarette smoke.
This compound is considered, according to the IARC classificationhow potentially carcinogenic and inserted into group 2A. Therefore, for those who regularly consume coffee, it represents a health concern. The safety levels are specified in EU Regulation 2017/2158 of the European Commission, which periodically reviews these reference levels, in order to establish lower ones, as proof of the continuous reduction of the presence of acrylamide in foods.
Such levels should be set at the minimum value reasonably achievable through the adoption of all appropriate mitigation measures, assuming that, the acrylamide content in the 10-15% of production with higher concentrations can generally be reduced through the use of good practices. As regards coffee, the limits are set at 400 µg/kg for roasted coffee, and 850 µg/kg for instant (soluble) coffee.
The acrylamide content in coffee mainly depends on two factors: the kind of coffee and the production method. Furthermore, regarding this last aspect, also land extraction techniques affect the concentration of acrylamide and other compounds in the final product.
Reduce acrylamide concentrations by choice of raw materials and production method
The acrylamide in coffee can’t be eliminated, but it definitely can be minimized during the process production. Already during the selection of raw materialsthey can be preferred variety of coffee which produce lower percentages of acrylamide, for example the Arabica quality leads to generally lower levels of this toxic substance after roasting.
They could remove immature kernelswhich contain higher concentrations of asparagine and sugars. Between the post-harvest treatments you could choose methods of wet processing, which, compared to dry ones, can reduce the sugar content in the beans, and therefore acrylamide. Other feasible strategies are pre-roasting treatments such asuse of enzymesfor example theasparaginasewhich degrades asparagine, reducing the precursor available for acrylamide formation.
It may also be useful to optimize the roasting process, by regulating temperature and duration: Although it may seem counterintuitive, beans roasted longer and at higher temperatures generally contain lower levels of acrylamide than those roasted lightly. Roasting could also be done under vacuum or steamlowering the reaction temperature. Even theoptimization of storage conditions it would help eliminate much of the acrylamide present, because this would degrade naturally over time at controlled temperature and humidity.
As for the coffee preparation methodsextraction techniques quickersuch as espresso, can limit the extraction of acrylamide compared to slower methods used today.
Some studies suggest that even theaddition of amino acids or yeasts during the preparation of the drink it could reduce the concentration of acrylamide. Finally there are innovative aspectslike thesupercritical extraction (the use of CO2 on roasted beans to remove acrylamide) and the fermentation of toasted beans. They are both very expensive techniques and cannot be used on a large scale. The problem with many of these techniques is that unfortunately the final coffee product may have a different smell or taste than what we know today and are used to.
Is it really important to stir coffee before drinking it to reduce acrylamide?
They are not here at all scientific evidence that the mixing of coffee – even without added sugar – reduces acrylamide, however it is possible to make a deduction based on current scientific knowledge.
Coffee stirring has roots in both food science and tradition: favors thermal homogeneity, balance of tastedistribution of oils and volatile compounds and therefore also the improvement of the sensory experienceavoiding the stratification of the compounds of which this drink is made.

We can hypothesize that, even if mixing does not eliminate acrylamide, it could help mitigate its effects because this substance, being volatilein part it would evaporate.
Stirring coffee is a culturally ingrained practice that also has psychological implications. The mixing ritual is not just a habit, but a way to prepare to enjoy the drink, influencing the perception of taste.