Animal Behind The World’s Most Expensive Coffee: There is no dearth of coffee drinkers in the world, but do you know about coffee which is prepared from the poop of a wild animal? It may sound strange, but it is true. The name of this special coffee is Kopi Luwak, which is counted among the most expensive coffee in the world. Its price is so high that one may have to pay more than Rs 8,000 for one cup, whereas one kg of coffee is sold for Rs 50,000 to more than Rs 1 lakh.
What is the story behind this?
The story of this unique coffee is related to a small wild animal named Asian Palm Civet found in South-East Asia. This animal is active at night and likes to live alone in the forests. Earlier its food was fruits, berries, insects and small creatures, but when coffee cultivation started in areas like Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi of Indonesia, it started liking coffee cherries very much.
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goes out of the potty
The civet eats ripe coffee cherries, but the seeds in its stomach are not completely digested. These seeds come out with his poop. Years ago, workers working in coffee plantations noticed this. He collected these seeds, cleaned them thoroughly and then roasted them to make coffee. The surprising thing was that the taste of coffee prepared in this way was completely different from normal coffee.
Why is it special?
According to experts, natural enzymes and stomach acids break down some of the proteins present in the coffee beans as they pass through the civet’s digestive system. This reduces the bitterness of coffee and its taste becomes more smooth, aromatic and slightly chocolaty. This is the reason why many coffee lovers around the world consider it very special. Wild civets select only the best and fully ripe coffee cherries. This is the reason why the quality of Kopi Luwak prepared in natural way is considered better. But its increasing popularity has created big problems for this animal.
Now they are tortured
Today, to make Kopi Luwak in large quantities, in many places civets are caught from the forest and imprisoned in small cages. They are forcefully fed only coffee cherries, while their natural food and open environment are taken away from them. Due to continuous captivity and receiving the same food, these animals become victims of stress, malnutrition and many diseases. In many cases they also die prematurely. Although there are rules and limits on catching wild civets in Indonesia, experts say they are not enforced effectively everywhere. This is the reason why the Kopi Luwak business is still surrounded by questions regarding animal cruelty and wildlife conservation.
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