Where's the Corn allergy in Coffee?

Do you wake up in the morning and grab a steaming cup of coffee before you head to work? Get a coffee fix for your morning break?

Seems normal right? Its brewed roasted beans, so what could be wrong with that?

Everyday, we avid corn avoiders find our foods constantly being contaminated with corn. And coffee is one of them.

For years now, many of us have known the dangers of places like Starbucks with their wicked corn-lined disposable coffee cups, the corn-based "natural" flavors they add, or other contaminates. But now before us looms a scarier villain.

Maltodextrin.

You may think.. “Well of course I know maltodextrin comes from corn, but what does this have to do with my morning coffee?”

They’re putting maltodextrin in your coffee.

In our time of convenience foods, conveyor belts, prepackaging, grab-n-go lifestyle.. Companies are finding new and cheaper ways to process food into these easy time saving conveniences.

According to a Canadian corn farmers site in Ontario, corn IS in your coffee. And here is why:

“Maltodextrins are derived from the wet milling process. They are a dextrose equivalent product of complete solubility but little or no sweetness. Maltodextrins are sprayed on instant tea and coffee to keep the granules free flowing. This solution is also used in instant soup mixes or other packages where the contents must be kept free flowing.”

Now while you think that you’re safe because you don’t drink instant, keep reading.

According to Jewish Kosher research:“Decaffeinated coffee is produced by soaking the green beans in a solvent that removes virtually all of the caffeine, after which the beans are dried and subsequently roasted. Chemicals used for this process include methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, super critical carbon dioxide, and carbonated water.”

That just makes you want to go grab a cup of decaf now doesn’t it? MMmm yummy chemicals and one of those comes from corn.

Wikipedia: Ethyl acetate is an ester that is synthesized from acetic acid and ethanol in the presence of strong acids like concentrated sulfuric acid in an esterification reaction.

Ethanol = corn. All you have to do is watch those new GM commercials to figure that out.

But what about your regular coffee?

“As such, some authorities insist on a Hashgacha for all roasted coffee for Pesach, since both regular and decaffeinated beans are typically roasted on the same equipment. .” (hashgacha = kosher supervision)

It’s roasted on the same equipment.

Other concerns about coffee also may include:

”Historically, when coffee became very expensive, manufacturers had added less flavorful, but more economical, vegetation to their product, including chicory and grain that, when roasted with coffee, produced an acceptable product. While chicory poses no Kashrus concern for Pesach, roasted grains would be considered Chometz and, although the use of such additives would be indicated on the product label, they are also roasted in the same equipment as regular coffee.”

And one of those grains very well could be corn. As corn has been used for decades as an early Native American “coffee”.

As a footnote, I do have to thank the Jewish religion and its followers for their intense research into foods and how they’re made. For those of us with grain (corn) allergies, they’re information is an honest God-send.

Another site for more info: A 2006 document on Corn Refining Industry Product Use lists corn starch and corn dextrins as being in rice and coffee polish. (Page 36)

More info on how beans are processed: ZeCuppa Coffee - Coffee Terms Farming/Processing