"Betrayal in a Cup of Iced Coffee"... Even 7,500 Won Coffee Not Spared from 'Contaminated Ice'

Ministry Steps Up Summer Edible Ice Inspections
Non-Compliant Businesses Ordered to Halt Ice Machine Use

Among edible ice products, whose consumption increases in the summer, the bacterial count in ice used by certain businesses was found to exceed the standard level. In particular, ice from one cafe contained three times the permissible amount of bacteria.

The bacterial count in the ice used at some cafes was found to exceed the standard level. Photo by Getty Images

4 Out of 409 Samples Exceeded Bacterial Limits

On July 30, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that, from June 29 to July 10, it collected and inspected 409 samples of edible ice used in iced beverages at coffee shops, fast food restaurants, and convenience stores. The results showed that four samples exceeded the bacterial standard, and the relevant local authorities plan to take administrative actions accordingly.

This inspection was conducted to check the hygiene and safety of edible ice products, whose consumption increases due to the hot weather.

Three times the allowable standard of bacteria was detected in the ice of a certain cafe. Getty Images

The inspection targets included ice cubes made directly by ice makers at franchise and independent coffee shops, fast food restaurants, and cup ice and packaged ice produced by food manufacturing and processing companies and sold at convenience stores. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety tested for food poisoning bacteria such as salmonella, as well as E. coli, bacterial count, chloride ions, and potassium permanganate consumption, among others.

The potassium permanganate consumption is an indicator used to measure the level of organic contamination in drinking water or edible ice. It checks how much potassium permanganate reacts with organic materials such as sugar, alcohol, and protein to determine the contamination level.

The inspection targets include ice cubes directly made by ice makers at franchises, independent coffee shops, and fast food restaurants, as well as cup ice and packaged ice produced by food manufacturing and processing companies and sold at convenience stores. Pixabay

For the businesses that failed the inspection, the Ministry immediately ordered them to stop using their ice machines and required them to clean, disinfect, and replace filters before allowing the use of only hygienically produced ice.

Up to Three Times the Allowable Standard

Among the non-compliant businesses was “Cafe A” in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, which sells an iced coffee for 7,500 won per cup. The ice used at this location was found to have a bacterial count three times higher than the allowable standard. The bacterial count standard for edible ice is 1,000 or less per 1 mL, but this cafe’s ice measured 3,000.

Photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang

This inspection also included, for the first time, a new type of ice product sold with fruit pieces or food additives inside the cup. These products, categorized as processed fruit and vegetable products, were all found to comply with standards and specifications.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "We will continue to strengthen food safety management by proactively collecting and testing products whose consumption increases seasonally or which represent new types of foods."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.