"Do Not Drink" MFDS Finds 'This' Abundant in Coffee Products Subject to Recall

'Humboldt' Manufactured 'Colombia Dipapu' 500㎖
Non-Heated Beverage Easily Prone to Bacterial Growth, 'Caution'

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has suspended sales and recalled a coffee product found to be non-compliant with bacterial count standards.

On the 14th, the MFDS requested sellers storing the 500ml "Colombia Decaf" manufactured by the food processing company 'Humboldt' to stop sales. Consumers who have already purchased the product were also urged to return it to the designated collection locations. The product's expiration date is November 21 of this year.

Colombia Decaf products sold at Humboldt.
[Photo by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety]

Hygiene issues such as bacterial contamination in cold brew (Dutch coffee) recur every year. Due to the nature of cold brew coffee, which is brewed by steeping ground coffee beans in cold water at room temperature for an extended period, bacteria can proliferate more easily compared to products made with hot boiled water. If the workspace environment or extraction equipment is even slightly contaminated, microorganisms multiply rapidly. It is also difficult to filter out oils (coffee oils), which cause rancidity.

The MFDS conducts intensive inspections on foods with increased consumption during the summer season. The items collected and tested include a total of 650 cases such as edible ice, cold brew, slushies, and ice cream.

The main inspection items are food poisoning bacteria (Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, etc.), Escherichia coli, bacterial count, and food coloring agents. Products deemed non-compliant based on collection and inspection results are subject to administrative actions, recall, and disposal according to relevant laws and regulations.

Cold brew is a product that can maintain and store the coffee's flavor for a long time in its concentrated form, making it popular as a gift item. Coffee-related companies are adding cold brew lineups following the trend, but due to the nature of the product as a non-heated beverage, careful bacterial management is necessary.

Established in 2013, the roasted coffee manufacturer 'Humboldt' focused on expanding its offline business by opening its directly operated road shop Seongsu branch 'Humboldt' in 2017 and the Itaewon branch 'Humboldt Ajit' in 2019. During the COVID-19 period, it expanded distribution channels such as home shopping broadcasts and achieved sales of 2.8 billion KRW as of November 2022.