<p>It's pretty safe to drink, but you might want to educate yourself about the way the coffee is produced. Read <a href="http://balipedia.com/articles/the-reality-behind-the-delicious-luwak-coffee" rel="nofollow">this</a> for example. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-15T06:41:38.033Z
What do you mean by "the way the coffee is produced"? If you read the question carefully, you'll see that the OP is aware of the poop origin of the beans.
Ivan Kapitonov
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-24T14:35:04.327Z
@IvanKapitonov MT San was likely referring to how palm civets are kept in battery cages and exclusively fed coffee cherries, the lack of nutrients like protein in their diet combined with stress leading to their deaths.

Not all, but enough kopi luwak is produced this way that sourcing yours from a reputable dealer is important.
N. York
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-15T00:27:00.500Z
2016-05-13T22:14:37.913Z
2016-05-13T22:14:37.913Z
Ivor
<p>Yes it is safe to drink. Many people often hesitate to consume it as the coffee beans are actually partly digested coffee cherries eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. But to everyone's surprise it has got many benefits like it is good for ulcer patients, protects teeth and many more. Know all the facts regarding this Indonesian beverage in <a href="http://www.teasvscoffees.com/en/all-about-kopi-luwak/model-1095-999" rel="nofollow">All About Kopi Luwak</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-28T14:56:59.067Z
Hi and welcome to Coffee! Links can rot over time, leaving an answer that doesn't answer the question on its own in the future. Please consider quoting relevant portions of your cited article.
Nick Udell
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-24T07:04:15.163Z
2016-10-07T09:40:14.110Z
2016-10-07T09:40:14.110Z
manjiri
<p>The Civet cat is out of the Java bag, and people around the world are bidding up the cost for this delicious coffee to $200-400/lb. and above.</p>

<p>While I would like to convince you this coffee is dangerous and give you my address so you can send it to me for proper disposal, honesty compels me to point out the proper preparation makes it perfectly safe for human consumption.</p>

<p>A <a href="http://www.uoguelph.ca/news/archives/002065.html">University of Guelph, Ontario study by Massimo Marcone</a> bears this out, finding it has fewer bacteria than regular coffee. "As a food scientist, I'm skeptical that anything being in contact with feces is safe," said Marcone. "But tests revealed that the Kopi Luwak beans had negligible amounts of enteric (pathogenic) organisms associated with feces." </p>

<p>Harvesting of <a href="http://www.realkopiluwak.com/process/">Civet green beans</a> is very labor intensive, with each bean being individually graded after washing and drying.  Then the best of the beans are typically given <a href="http://www.coffeereview.com/review/kopi-luwak-arabica-medium-roast/">a medium roast</a>, <a href="http://www.coffeecrossroads.com/coffee-101/coffee-roasts-from-light-to-dark">reaching internal temperatures between 410°F and 428°F</a>.  </p>

<p>This is hot enough to kill any bacteria. Compare the <a href="http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html">recommended safe cooking temperatures</a> for meat at 140°F to 165°F, or even the <a href="http://www.sterilizers.com/autoclave-time-temperature-pressure-chart.html">autoclave temperature</a> of 250°F.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-28T14:54:36.957Z
2015-01-30T15:35:16.433Z
2015-01-30T15:35:16.433Z
hardmath
<p>Kopi luwak, i.e. Vietnamese weasel coffee, is made from beans that have been consumed and excreted by civets.  It can cost as much as $3000/lb, so few have probably tried it. This process doesn't seem incredibly sanitary.   Is this coffee safe to drink?  Do people contract diseases from drinking it?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-01T01:29:31.663Z
Note that Kopi Luwak is a phrase in Indonesian, where the coffee originated in the 18th century with Dutch East Indies plantations.  It is now "cultivated" in other countries, including Thailand and the Philippines, so not exclusively Vietnamese by any measure.
hardmath
<health><kopiluwak>
Is Kopi Luwak safe to drink?
Alex
# Is Kopi Luwak safe to drink?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-01-28)

Kopi luwak, i.e. Vietnamese weasel coffee, is made from beans that have been consumed and excreted by civets. It can cost as much as $3000/lb, so few have probably tried it. This process doesn't seem incredibly sanitary. Is this coffee safe to drink? Do people contract diseases from drinking it?

**Tags:** health, kopiluwak

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Note that Kopi Luwak is a phrase in Indonesian, where the coffee originated in the 18th century with Dutch East Indies plantations.  It is now "cultivated" in other countries, including Thailand and the Philippines, so not exclusively Vietnamese by any measure.  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-01-28. Score: 16

The Civet cat is out of the Java bag, and people around the world are bidding up the cost for this delicious coffee to $200-400/lb. and above.

While I would like to convince you this coffee is dangerous and give you my address so you can send it to me for proper disposal, honesty compels me to point out the proper preparation makes it perfectly safe for human consumption.

A [University of Guelph, Ontario study by Massimo Marcone](http://www.uoguelph.ca/news/archives/002065.html) bears this out, finding it has fewer bacteria than regular coffee. "As a food scientist, I'm skeptical that anything being in contact with feces is safe," said Marcone. "But tests revealed that the Kopi Luwak beans had negligible amounts of enteric (pathogenic) organisms associated with feces."

Harvesting of [Civet green beans](http://www.realkopiluwak.com/process/) is very labor intensive, with each bean being individually graded after washing and drying. Then the best of the beans are typically given [a medium roast](http://www.coffeereview.com/review/kopi-luwak-arabica-medium-roast/), [reaching internal temperatures between 410°F and 428°F](http://www.coffeecrossroads.com/coffee-101/coffee-roasts-from-light-to-dark).

This is hot enough to kill any bacteria. Compare the [recommended safe cooking temperatures](http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html) for meat at 140°F to 165°F, or even the [autoclave temperature](http://www.sterilizers.com/autoclave-time-temperature-pressure-chart.html) of 250°F.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-15. Score: 1

It's pretty safe to drink, but you might want to educate yourself about the way the coffee is produced. Read [this](http://balipedia.com/articles/the-reality-behind-the-delicious-luwak-coffee) for example.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: What do you mean by "the way the coffee is produced"? If you read the question carefully, you'll see that the OP is aware of the poop origin of the beans.  
> **username_4**: @IvanKapitonov MT San was likely referring to how palm civets are kept in battery cages and exclusively fed coffee cherries, the lack of nutrients like protein in their diet combined with stress leading to their deaths.  Not all, but enough kopi luwak is produced this way that sourcing yours from a reputable dealer is important.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2016-05-24. Score: 1

Yes it is safe to drink. Many people often hesitate to consume it as the coffee beans are actually partly digested coffee cherries eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. But to everyone's surprise it has got many benefits like it is good for ulcer patients, protects teeth and many more. Know all the facts regarding this Indonesian beverage in [All About Kopi Luwak](http://www.teasvscoffees.com/en/all-about-kopi-luwak/model-1095-999).

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Hi and welcome to Coffee! Links can rot over time, leaving an answer that doesn't answer the question on its own in the future. Please consider quoting relevant portions of your cited article.  

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