Coffee silver skin is produced in large amounts as a by-product during the coffee roasting process. In this study, coffee silver skin of the species Coffea arabica L. and Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner as well as silver skin pellets produced in the coffee industry were characterized with respect to both nutritional value and potential heat-induced contaminants. Enzymatic-gravimetric/chromatographic determination of the dietary fiber content showed values ranging from 59 to 67 g/100 g with a comparably high portion of soluble fiber, whereas low molecular weight soluble fiber was not detected. Compositional and methylation analysis indicated the presence of cellulose and xylans in the insoluble dietary fiber fraction, whereas pectic polysaccharides dominate the soluble dietary fiber fraction. The protein content as determined by the Kjeldahl method was in the range of 18 to 22 g/100 g, and all essential amino acids were present in coffee silver skin; whereas fat contents were low, high ash contents were determined. Elemental analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) showed the presence of macroelements in large amounts, whereas toxic mineral elements were only detected in trace amounts or being absent. Acrylamide was quantified with levels of 24–161 µg/kg. Although 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was detected, its concentration was below the limit of determination. Furfuryl alcohol was not detected.

The four heat-induced coffee contaminants—acrylamide, furfuryl alcohol (FA), furan and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)—were analyzed in a collective of commercial samples as well as in Coffea arabica seeds roasted under controlled conditions from very light Scandinavian style to very dark Neapolitan style profiles. Regarding acrylamide, average contents in commercial samples were lower than in a previous study in 2002 (195 compared to 303 µg/kg). The roasting experiment confirmed the inverse relationship between roasting degree and acrylamide content, i.e., the lighter the coffee, the higher the acrylamide content. However, FA, furan and HMF were inversely related to acrylamide and found in higher contents in darker roasts. Therefore, mitigation measures must consider all contaminants and not be focused isolatedly on acrylamide, specifically since FA and HMF are contained in much higher contents with lower margins of exposure compared to acrylamide.

The influence of different dough ingredients such as fat, salt, sourdough, emulsifiers, and sugar on the formation of 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) during toast preparation under domestic conditions was investigated. In comparison with a fat-free recipe, addition of 1% peanut fat considerably increased 3-MCPD formation, but varying the fat (2–5%) or salt (1.6–2.4%) contents within technological acceptable limits did not show any significant differences. A baking agent, which is usually commercially applied by many toast bakers or industrial toast manufacturers, increased 3-MCPD formation in toasted bread slices. Considerable evidence was found that the baking agent's main component sucrose had the major part in increasing 3-MCPD levels. Emulsifiers containing monoacylglycerols moderately increased 3-MCPD levels, but the addition of lecithin did not have any significant influence. 3-MCPD levels showed a good correlation with the lightness (L* value) of the bread slices; their 3-MCPD content increased exponentially towards dark coloured toasts. The relation between 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD was an average of 3:1 in all samples. Dichloropropanols such as, for example, 1,3-dichloropropanol could not be detected.