Monday Morning Coffee News

Happy Monday! It’s been a minute, but I’m back with some interesting coffee news: some coffee was recalled because it contained an undisclosed Viagra-like ingredient, Starbucks Roastery adds a new beef jerky coffee beverage to their menu, and Matchless Coffee Soda is making plans through Kickstarter to release their product nationwide. Also on Kickstarter, EcoSouLife launched a campaign for their reusable coffee cups made from 100% renewable plant-based materials

Earlier this month the FDA announced the voluntary recall of all packages of “New of Kopi Jantan Tradisional Natural Herbs Coffee”.  For two years Texas-based Bestherbs Coffee has been selling the instant coffee as a male enhancement product. FDA laboratory analysis found the coffee contained an undeclared ingredient called desmethyl carbodenafil, which is structurally similar to sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, a prescription drug used for erectile dysfunction (ED).  The undisclosed ingredient is potentially harmful to consumers who are already on nitrate-containing medications used to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease and could lead to dangerously lowered blood pressure. The analysis also found the coffee contained undeclared milk, which poses a risk to those with milk allergies or sensitivities.

Beginning today, the Seattle Starbucks Reserve Roastery will be adding Pepper Nitro with a Jerky Twist to their growing list of unique coffee beverages. This new addition to their menu was inspired by and created around Starbucks Reserve® Eastern D.R. Congo Lake Kivu coffee to complement its sweet and herbal spice notes. The drink starts with fresh ground Congo coffee which is slow-steeped as cold brew and served on draft through a nitro tap before being infused with a malted fennel black pepper syrup that is sweet and savory and is then finished off with a layer of honey cold foam and a sprinkling of cracked pink peppercorn before being topped with a bamboo skewer of natural beef jerky made with grass-fed beef. – That sounds like a meal. And delicious. (ps- you can read about my adventure to the Seattle Starbucks Reserve Roastery here 😉)

Matchless Coffee Soda, a company out of Nashville, is setting their sight on the canning and national distribution of their very popular fizzy cold iced coffee (not cold brew the makers emphasize). To learn more about the company and their plans check out their Kickstarter campaign video below:

Another interesting Kickstart campaign recently launched is for Bamboo Bio Sip Coffee Cups. Created by EcoSouLife, these colorful, reusable coffee cups are made from 100% renewable plant-based materials, such as bamboo fibre and starch, contain zero plastics, melamine or oil-based ingredients, and are fully biodegradable. To learn more, see the video below:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1911389062/bamboo-bio-sip-coffee-cup