Counterfeit Coffee Is Now Something You Need to Worry About

[FLPanhandle]

http://gizmodo.com/counterfeit-coffee-is-now-something-you-need-to-worry-a-1767739468



Sip your morning coffee suspiciously, friend—it may not be what you think.

The Washington Post chatted with the creators of a new testing method for coffee beans, which double checks that the name on the label of your beans matches what you’re actually getting. Although existing tests can already identify the types of coffee beans, the new method is more precise, as well as quicker and easier to perform outside of the lab.

The need for the more efficient testing has cropped up because coffee is becoming an increasingly common target for food counterfeiters. What’s really interesting about this particular case, though, is that it combines so many different food counterfeiting methods. Coffee has a mislabeling problem, like salmon and other fish. It also suffers from the diluting of better varieties with cheaper, more plentiful ones, as in the case olive oil.

There’s also one other commonality with other recent food fraud cases. Like so many other foods, part of the root cause of the counterfeiting is climate change. Coffee, particularly in Brazil, has been hit hard by the sweeping droughts we’ve experienced recently. Late last year, I noted that given what we were seeing with both global markets and on coffee farms, a global coffee shortage was coming. The question wasn’t if, but when it would happen. With tightening stores from a looming shortage, rising prices, and more and more emphasis on specialty coffees, it’s no wonder that counterfeit coffee is becoming a problem big enough to need faster, easier testing.

So beware, that $8 coffee you just picked up might not be the fancy, single-origin product you think it is.

[dembotoz]

1. Recently had a cup I could swear was toenail clippings

Not that I am aware of what toenail clippings would taste like

[notadmblnd]

26. Nail clippings sounds delicious compared to

the combination cardboard and battery acid the company I used to work for provided.

[awoke_in_2003]

33. Starbucks, huh?

[Paulie]

38. That's to be expected

From Sanka.

[Orrex]

2. Sounds like grounds for a lawsuit

[ProfessorGAC]

11. You Just Had To, Didn't Ya?

Actually, it did make me laugh, so i'm ashamed of both of us.

[Glassunion]

12. This has been brewing for some time.

[callous taoboy]

15. You'd be a drip not to lawyer up.

[Orrex]

17. That's one of the perks of posting with no filter.

[So Far From Heaven]

19. My sediments exactly!

[OriginalGeek]

22. Y'all gonna mocha coffee-lover cry

[callous taoboy]

28. Sob, I'm afraid your too latte!

[So Far From Heaven]

35. Espresso yourself!

[callous taoboy]

37. I am just bean myself.

[yellowcanine]

3. So in other words, we've bean had.

[KamaAina]

5. Everything seems to be going to pot these days

[cwydro]

4. Hmm.

A real wake up call.

[KamaAina]

6. "the diluting of better varieties with cheaper, more plentiful ones" is old news.

If you're ever in Hawai'i, check out the ubiquitous packages labeled "Kona". Most say, in 9-point type, "10% Kona". Madame Pele only knows what the other 90 percent is.

I conceived of an "All-American Blend" in which Kona would be paired with Puerto Rican coffee, the only other domestic kind there is.

edit: Not to worry, though: occasional DUer proud patriot now grows the real stuff in Kona!

[bluesbassman]

7. Seems to be a brewing problem.

[packman]

8. Awww - Fuck

One of the few pleasures left and now they got to go screw around with that. Just not myself without coffee-



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[840high]

14. .that^

[Skittles]

18. that first cup is truly a joy

[Tommy_Carcetti]

9. Does it have caffeine in it? Truth be told, that's the most important thing to me.

The taste of coffee or origin of its beans is always secondary to the effect it gives me.

[RebelOne]

31. I don't drink coffee

I take a caffeine pill in the morning. It works faster than a cup of coffee.

[HubertHeaver]

10. I roast my own coffee.

The green beans come from a supplier from San Diego. The supplier sources world-wide.

Lately I have been buying coffee from Laos Paksong Hills.

The coffee producing area in Laos is also known as the Trail or Ho Chi Mihn Trail. Heavily mined in the early '70's, just now getting back into production.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

13. Unexploded ordnance makes great fertilizer

The beans are just bursting with flavor!

But, going back to the OP, how do you know the beans are from Laos, or perhaps from Bakersfield?

[HubertHeaver]

20. I have to trust my supplier's word.

Coffee is a high-altitude, labor intensive crop. Everything you do to the producing plant, the beans once they are harvested and processed and how they are handled in shipping and roasting affects the final flavor in your cup.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

23. Trust, that's the key

I trust the Sumatran coffee I buy was grown in Sumatra. If not, oh well, it's still a good wake-up buzz.

[Omaha Steve]

16. I buy Hawaiian Marta gets fair trade guatemalan dark roast peace coffee

We trust what we are getting.

[Baitball Blogger]

21. Is nothing sacred!

[So Far From Heaven]

24. Who cares? Ever since grad school, I get my caffeine rush at 6 bucks a can. (nt)

[awoke_in_2003]

34. Is it possible to make an energy drink

that doesn't taste like ass?

[surrealAmerican]

25. DUzies abound!

It's good to see everybody having fun together.

[Blue Owl]

27. We'll just have to Folger on, I guess

n/t

[steve2470]

29. *Cough*eeee meh I buy the cheapest beans from Dunkin' Donuts so....

if I get counterfeit beans, I'm probably doing BETTER lol

[Dont call me Shirley]

30. Without morning coffee life is a grind.

[Odin2005]

32. I assume every business lies unless proven otherwise.

[So Far From Heaven]

36. New variety ersatz supreme

[tabasco]

39. As long as cheap ass dollar store coffee still has caffeine,

I'm good.