Introduction:Indonesia is not only famous for its Golden Mandheling, but also garners significant attention for its exotic, specially processed coffees such as civet coffee. When the supply of civets became insufficient, some took it a step further by using human or other animal excrement to produce coffee, sparking widespread debate. This article delves into the origins, production background, and the hygiene and ethical controversies surrounding human feces coffee, offering an insight into this jaw-dropping extreme coffee product.
Indonesia is globally renowned for its Golden Mandheling processed via the wet-hulled method, which boasts rich nutty and caramel aromas paired with a full yet clean flavor profile — a favorite among many coffee enthusiasts. However, beyond this classic bean variety, the Indonesian coffee market also features a highly controversial product — civet coffee. This coffee is produced when civets consume coffee cherries, ferment them in their intestines, and then excrete them. The beans are subsequently handpicked, cleaned, and dried, resulting in a rare and uniquely flavored coffee that commands a high price.
Due to the high market demand, the supply of civets has consistently fallen short. To meet consumer needs, some merchants not only cage and force-feed civets with coffee cherries, but have even begun experimenting with other animals — such as poultry or, more extremely, human excrement — to “create” similar types of coffee, giving rise to what is dubbed “human feces coffee.” Though this may sound absurd, such products do exist in certain underground markets.
Not long ago, a social media influencer publicly challenged himself to try human feces coffee. Under the watchful eyes of numerous netizens, he purchased the product at a high price and attempted to drink it during a live stream. According to the video footage, the influencer immediately felt nauseous and vomited after just one sip, indicating that this “coffee” likely tastes extremely unpleasant and is very likely accompanied by off-putting odors or textures.
After the video was released, it triggered heated discussions online. Some netizens expressed shock and disbelief, commenting things like: “Is there really anyone who would drink this?” or “Is this actually meant for drinking?” Many also suspected it was fabricated content designed to attract views, believing that so-called human feces coffee was merely a marketing stunt. However, investigations revealed that such extreme forms of coffee are not entirely made up.
It is understood that due to the high costs of civet farming and the insufficient supply of “civet coffee,” suppliers in certain regions of Indonesia have started using the digestive excrement of other animals, including humans, as substitute materials to mimic the production process. These products are then sold as “special edition civet coffee.” While such practices exist in some areas, they are generally not accepted by formal markets and lack health and safety certifications.
From the production process perspective, this type of coffee typically involves the following “steps”: first, collecting human or animal excrement and screening out coffee beans that have not been fully digested; then washing them multiple times with clean water to remove impurities and surface contaminants; followed by sun-drying or low-temperature drying; and finally roasting the beans. However, since the entire process cannot be guaranteed to be entirely hygienic, and the microbial ecosystems within human or animal digestive systems are complex, these coffees pose significant health risks.
In terms of ethics and hygiene, human feces coffee also raises numerous controversies. Many experts and consumers point out that such products not only violate standard food hygiene practices but may also breach public health regulations in certain regions. Although traces of it can still be found in some remote villages or underground markets in Indonesia, the majority of mainstream coffee traders and professional institutions hold a negative stance toward this kind of “coffee.”
In summary, human feces coffee is an extreme and controversial case that illustrates how, driven by market demand and commercial interests, some regions push boundaries and experiment with producing various “specially processed” coffee products. However, whether from the perspectives of food safety, hygiene standards, or consumer experience, such coffee is not recommended for consumption and is unlikely to gain acceptance in the mainstream market. For coffee enthusiasts, exploring traditional processing method coffees from regions like Indonesia’s Golden Mandheling or Sumatra’s Lintong offers not only greater safety but also a chance to experience true depth and diversity of flavors.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
