Coffee is your favorite drink how to choose real coffee. Fake coffee: what's inside and how to distinguish

The Russian market receives a considerable amount of counterfeit instant coffee. It is made either from low-grade, moist grains, or malt, figs, chicory, burnt sugar, caramelizates, coffee bean shells are added to the raw materials. Such a product usually has an empty taste, with bitterness and acidity uncharacteristic of coffee. Coffee with "illegal" additives cannot be considered 100%.

The quality of coffee is also determined by the caffeine content. But this indicator is not the main one, since unscrupulous manufacturers have learned to add artificial caffeine to their products. That is why for most fakes this indicator is usually normal.

True, some counterfeiters do not bother with complex chemical processes for introducing caffeine into powder and simply pour crushed tablets of chemically pure caffeine into the finished product. In such cases, caffeine in the form of white grains is visible to the naked eye. If you bought just such a “coffee”, then it is better to throw it away immediately: not only is it tasteless, it is also dangerous to health - pure caffeine has a strong stimulating effect, while in natural coffee it is associated with other substances and does not represent threats to the human condition.

There are also quite outright fakes, when a strange-smelling powder does not contain caffeine at all or its amount is much less than normal. But it happens differently: the examination shows that the 100% instant coffee declared on the label really is such, but the aroma and taste do not meet the requirements. The reason for this is a violation of manufacturing technology.

Good coffee experts define and the content of sugars. In a quality drink there are few of them, in fakes - a lot. These indicators are not yet included in the Russian standard, however, they are widely used to determine the authenticity of natural coffee abroad.

How to distinguish a fake?
Fake is cheap. BUT real coffee it costs expensive. Firstly, manufacturing technology requires considerable costs, and secondly, good coffee are made from high-quality grains, and they cost more than malt or chicory.

Fakes, as a rule, are packaged in plastic, more often transparent jars. Self-respecting firms use glass or tin cans.

If coffee is sold in tin can, then pay attention to its design: firms with a good reputation mark directly on the tin.

If on a tin or plastic jar paper label, there is no barcode, the country of origin, expiration date are not indicated, that is, a reason to think.

The mismatch of the first three digits with the indicated country of origin indicates that this is a fake.

Many counterfeiters distort the names of well-known manufacturing companies, but in such a way that they are consonant with them (For example, Ness-Coffee). They also steal the design of cans, the color scheme.

Blurred and obscure colors on the packaging also speak of falsification.

Varieties of coffee
There are only two main varieties: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora (Robusta).

Arabica beans - elongated, evenly roasted. Robusta grains are almost round, they rarely acquire a uniform color after roasting. The taste of these varieties differ quite strongly - a drink made from Arabica is softer in taste, slightly sour. Robusta does not have such a strong infusion, but it is bitter, not so fragrant.

This happens because on taste qualities coffee pretty big influence provide carbohydrates contained in grains. So, in Arabica there are much more carbohydrates than in Robusta. But Robusta has more caffeine. By the way, due to the increased extractivity of Robusta (that is, the ability to most fully preserve the taste and quality of natural product) this variety is most often used for the production of instant coffee. So most instant coffee is from Robusta. True, the best (and expensive) instant varieties are made either from a mixture of Arabica with Robusta, or entirely from Arabica.

The taste of coffee is strongly influenced by the place where it was grown. Indian Arabica tastes sharp, bitter (we are all used to it, since the main supplies of natural coffee in Soviet times came from India), with a strong aroma. Colombian has a soft, slightly vinous taste, delicate aroma. Coffee grown in Kenya, among the shades of its mild taste also has bread, which is attractive for gourmets. Coffee from Costa Rica is sour and spicy at the same time.

Central and North American varieties typically have light to medium grains, with clean, vigorous promats. They form the basis of many famous coffee blends such as Colombia, Costa Rica Tres Rios, Guatemala Antigua and Mexico. Kona, although originating from the Pacific Islands, falls into the category of Latin American varieties in taste and smell.

The East African varieties are one of a kind and have not yet been sufficiently evaluated. They often combine the bright astringency of Central America's finest varieties with unique floral or vinous notes, and are usually medium to high-bodied. They can be found in morning cup almost any professional coffee taster. This category includes Kenia, Ethiopia Sidamo and Yergacheffe and Ethiopia Harra.

Indonesian varieties are on the other end of the spectrum from Latin American varieties. Usually dense and soft, not very tart, some with elements of "earthly" and exotic taste. Their density and depth make them an important base ingredient in blends such as Gold Coast and Yukon Blend. This group includes Estate Yava, Sumatra Boengie, Papua New Guinea and Sulawesi.

Varieties are used for dark roasting various origins to provide a specific array of flavors, from the caramel spiciness of Espresso to the smoky flavor of Italian Roast and the toasty feel of French Roast.

Mixes combine different tastes to create a special complexity of sensations. Usually mixed Central American astringency with Indonesian mildness. Mixing is the high art of combining and combining.

Decaffeinated strains are rapidly growing in popularity, as are quality and availability.

And now directly the descriptions of the varieties:

COLOMBIA NARINO SUPREMA
Colombia is the world's second largest coffee producer (after Brazil) and is known for its strict standards. Colombian varieties have a pleasant bitterness with a strong aroma. The taste is refreshing, ripe and balanced.

GUATEMALA ANTIGUA
This coffee grows in large fields under special agrotechnical supervision. Coffee of such richness and density is rarely found today even on the best plantations in Central America.

MEXICO ALTURA
From the green slopes of the Sierra to southern Mexico comes the world famous Arabica variety. It is evenly fried and brewed into a light liquid with a bright, pleasant aftertaste and medium astringency. Great for breakfast.

COSTA RICO TRES RIOS
Among discerning coffee shoppers, Costa Rica enjoys an excellent reputation for the quality of its beans. After processing, a liquid of medium density is obtained, with a characteristic odor and a delicate taste.

KONA
Native to the southwest coast of the Hawaiian island of Kona, this coffee is the only variety commercially produced in the United States. The beans are large, standard size and roast great. Soft and ripe drink, with a slight smell.

ARABIAN MOCHA SANANI
Real coffee of this variety is one of the greatest and rarest in the world. From Yemen, where this variety was first grown, the name comes from the port city of Al-Mukah. Small, irregularly shaped beans give the most exquisite coffee in the world - savory and tonic, but at the same time soft - a very special feeling.

ARABIAN MOCHA JAVA
A world-famous coffee blend that combines the sharpness and piquancy of Arabian Mocha with a seasoning from dense Estate Java. Unscrupulous traders sometimes sell a mixture with a very low content of Arabian Mocha - this expensive and rare variety.

ETHIOPIA SIDAMO
Arabica coffee originated from Ethiopia and today there are many variations of this variety. Sudamo is a developing area on a high plateau in south-central Ethiopia. Here, a lot of coffee is harvested according to an old tradition from wild trees. The dense blue-green beans give an even roast and a coffee with a penetrating, almost flowery flavor and aroma and moderate body and astringency.

ETHIOPIA YERGACHEFFE
Another mysterious variety from the Ethiopian mountains, with exotic taste- has small oval beans that are nice to roast. The brew is viscous, medium density with unusual promatic characteristics. Slight contrast with Ethiopia Sudamo.

ETHIOPIA HARRAR
The most exotic sensation is the berry taste that fills the mouth, the wine flavor is clearly felt, which is complemented by the density of the drink.

KENYA
A large number of coffee produced in Africa is robusto, a dwarf variety used as a filler in commercial blends and instant coffees. However, this tall Kenyan Arabica is among the best in the world. The variety has an intense taste, penetrating astringency and a refreshing effect. A medium-bodied brewed drink, tart and rich, with a special combination of softness and vinous astringency.

TANZANIA
East African Arabica is known for its lively taste and strong aroma. Tanzania is another example. The taste is straight and clean, with a sharpness that your palate will surely feel.

ZIMBABWE
This tall Arabica has many of the outstanding flavor characteristics that distinguish its East African neighbors. The drink has piquant qualities, a well-balanced taste and a delicate aftertaste.

NEW GUINEA PEABERRY
Excellent coffee has been growing on this island north of Australia since Arabica trees were introduced from Jamaica in 1937. The equatorial climate and volcanic soils created extremely favorable conditions for the growth of coffee. A medium-bodied, rich drink with a pleasant aroma.

ESTATE JAVA
A magnificent variety was brought to the island by the Dutch in 1696. It has spread so much that the word "Java" has become synonymous with coffee of any origin. Typically for this variety - high density, moderate astringency and complex aromatic characteristics.

SULAWESI (CELEBES)
A former Dutch colony called Celebes, now the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, is famous for its pearls and coffee. Like other Indonesian varieties, Celebes coffee is full bodied with a round flavor and a deep rich aroma. It is in demand for low astringency, soft ripe flavor and sweet aftertaste.

SUMATRA BOENGIE
An Indonesian classic, Arabica from Sumatra has an unusually concentrated taste, heaviness, high density and herbal aroma. This rare and subtle vibrating flavor can satisfy the most sophisticated coffee palate.

AGED SUMATRA
Unusual coffee is aged green for several years. Proper storage in Indonesia's native climate refines and deepens the flavor characteristics of Sumatra, resulting in a very concentrated, almost oily drink with a full bouquet of spicy aromas. For lovers of Indonesian varieties, this will be a special event.

ESPRESSO ROAST (DARK)
The lightest of the dark roasts, this is a mixture of Central American and Indonesian varieties, passed through an espresso machine. Complex caramel flavor, high body and moderate astringency make this blend great for espresso, cappuccino and all afternoon coffee drinks.

ITALIAN ROAST (DARK)
Roasts slightly darker than espresso until the surface of the beans is covered fragrant oil. It has a strong promat, low astringency and a roasted sweetness typical of deep brown roasted coffees.

FRENCH ROAST (DARK)
You rather feel not the taste of a particular variety, but the taste of fried. A mixture of hard Arabica beans is usually taken, so that the aroma of the coffee itself prevails over the smell. fried butter. It is used as an after-dinner drink, and also as an addition to other coffees to give a sharp taste.

Decaffeinated varieties
DECAFFEINATED HOUSE BLEND
Get green beans. Decaffeination takes place in West Germany and roasting takes place in Seattle. Light to medium bodied, this is the most flavorful and rounded of decaffeinated drinks. Give it to guests and they'll never know it's 97% caffeine free.

DECAFFEINATED VIENNESE BLEND
A popular blend made up of 75% Decaffeinated House Blend and 25% Dark Roast Decaffeinated. Satisfy your need for a soft and balanced drink, with a pleasant aroma, without caffeine.

DECAFFEINATED DARK ROAST
For those who prefer a deep after-dinner taste, this variety makes a nice addition to other blends. Add it to your favorite coffee for a refreshing and smoky flavor.

DECAFFEINATED GUATEMALA
best grade Central America retains its taste and aroma for a long time.

DECAFFEINATED SUMATRA
Decaffeinated Sumatra, produced in Hamburg, West Germany, is remarkably full-bodied. Virtually devoid of caffeine, the variety has an herbal, earthy aroma.

DECAFFEINATED COLOMBIA (SWISS WATER PROCESS)
Water-treated decaffeinated coffee using the purest water and the finest Colombian beans. Low density and fresh, soft aftertaste.

DECAFFEINATED MOCCA JAVA (SWISS WATER PROCESS)
Made from carefully selected varieties of Indonesian and Ethiopian coffees. Although not as aromatic and dense as the original coffee of the same name, the blend produces a mild, pleasant flavor.

Classic coffee
Coffee ALLEGRO
100% Colombian coffee (Colombia Excelso) is a coffee variety that has a delicate, pleasant aroma and a mild, slightly vinous taste. Pairs well with all types of coffee.

Coffee FORTE
Indian coffee (India Plantation A) is a coffee variety that has a delicate, pleasant aroma and a mild, slightly winey taste. Pairs well with all types of coffee.

flavored coffee
Coffee BLUES AMARETTO
The name speaks for itself. A cup of fine coffee to which a few drops of amaretto liqueur have been added. There is a smell and taste, but no alcohol. You can safely drive.

HAZELNUT
The taste and aroma of the famous Italian liqueur"frangelica".

Mixes different varieties coffee
HOUSE BLEND
Delicate blend of Latin American coffees with light taste and rich aroma.

YUKON BLEND
A popular blend of Indonesian and Central American varieties, it has a persistent strong flavor with ripe, round characteristics.

CAFE VERONA (80/20 BLEND)
A premium blend of Central American and Indonesian coffees with 20% Italian Roast for depth of flavor, very popular in many Pacific Northwest restaurants.

VIENNESE BLEND
A special blend of Latin American coffees with 25% French Roast. Great with dessert.

GOLD COAST BLEND
An extravagant blend of the finest Central American and Indonesian varieties, laced with dark roast for sweetness and depth.

Forgery and falsification of goods can be detected in any group of products. Coffee is no exception to these rules. For the manufacture of adulterated coffee cheap coffee raw materials, components that are not related to coffee production can be used.

How to distinguish fake coffee from real?

Distinguishing real coffee from counterfeit is quite simple, but only after you have bought coffee and prepared a drink. Fake product is different specific odors and shades, it is difficult to cook it properly, it can have a bitter, sharp and unpleasant aftertaste.

How are instant and ground coffee counterfeited?

If we consider the number of fake products, then counterfeit coffee is very common in the segment. It is easy to explain the popularity of instant coffee in our country. Poor quality raw materials or foreign components may be used to simulate the appearance of instant coffee. To obtain a large volume of ground powder, cereals and legumes are added to the raw material. Such a product does not completely dissolve in the cup, a dense sediment forms at the bottom, and ready drink has an unpleasant taste, which manufacturers of low-quality products enhance with the help of flavorings and food additives.

Adulterated coffee does not contain the normal amount. It is introduced into the resulting powder artificially using chemical substances. The volume of the injected substance is never standardized. Sometimes manufacturers fake product administer caffeine using recycled pharmaceutical tablets. Such foreign particles are easy to spot in instant coffee. In a similar situation, the use of a ready-made drink from such a product is dangerous for human health, since the amount of caffeine contained in the product is higher established norm in the standard several times. The coffee adulteration methods described above are used both for ground product as well as for grain.

In the manufacture of fake, cheap varieties of the product, cereals and chicory, as well as rejected coffee beans are used. In order to make counterfeit coffee beans, counterfeit craftsmen will have to make some effort. Specialists replace original coffee beans with beans or clay fakes. Naturally, such a product only looks like coffee beans, but even an experienced craftsman is unlikely to be able to make a finished drink from it.

How to distinguish counterfeit coffee on the counter?

Before making a purchase, it can be very difficult to distinguish counterfeit coffee from the original, but if you pay attention to some selection criteria, the risk of acquiring counterfeit is significantly reduced.

• Coffee cost- the first thing you should pay attention to when buying. High-quality coffee is not a cheap product, so if the price tag is too nice, then the package may contain malt or chicory instead of a natural product.
• The second criterion is package. Fake products are not packaged in expensive packaging. Fake manufacturers use plastic containers for such purposes, and manufacturers of original goods use glass or tin containers, thanks to which the aroma of coffee is preserved on for a long time. If your choice fell on a product in a can, then pay attention to the packaging design. Manufacturers original product mark the goods on the package. There are no labels or stickers on the tin container. On the packaging of coffee, the country of origin, the expiration date and the barcode must be indicated. The first three digits of the code are the manufacturer's country code. Pay attention to the quality of the product packaging. Blurry, unclear or too bright colors indicate that the product that is inside the container does not have the appropriate quality.
• An important criterion is coffee name and product packaging design. Very often counterfeiters use coffee names that sound like common brands. The packaging of the product can also match the style of the registered brand. Such plagiarism is not an indicator of quality. finished product, and can also spoil the image of the manufacturer.

A lot of coffee manufacturers package the product in foil bags. In such packaging, a special valve is used, which makes it possible to evaluate the aroma of the packaged product. Ground coffee packaging must be airtight. Manufacturers use a vacuum to pump air out of it specially, as a result, the packaged product resembles dense “briquettes”. If there is air in such a package, then this is evidence of a packaging violation, the coffee will lose its specific aroma, and there may also be counterfeit inside the container.

Coffee is a favorite drink of many people, which allows you to wake up in the morning and relax after a hard day's work. Therefore, more and more unscrupulous manufacturers are counterfeiting popular brands. Next, we will take a closer look at how to distinguish a Jacobs fake from the original.

The most characteristic information falsifications of coffee. So fake Jacobs coffee, for example, came in a large tin, similar to the Nescafe can, which was pasted over with a paper label with the name Jacobs. There is no barcode on the fake tin, but it is indicated that this coffee is made in the USA (in fact, Jacobs is produced in Germany).

The bank is also provided plastic lid, which is used after opening the tin. At the same time, real Jacobs instant coffee is sold only in glass jars, while ground coffee and beans are sold in vacuum packaging.

What else is worth paying attention to?

• You need to bypass ordinary outlets and markets, where you can often find fakes and low-quality goods. Coffee must be bought in specialized stores that can provide quality certificates for the entire range of their products.
• Also, experts recommend buying coffee for the first time directly in a specialized store of the manufacturer and be sure to save the packaging. All other times you need to take the packaging with you and compare it in all other stores. Feel free to compare packages. This will avoid fake and low-quality products.
• Also, original products must have a control identification mark. If the products are intended for the domestic market, then such a sign will be on a light green background. Otherwise, the background has a purple tint. In addition, scammers quite often confuse colors and forget to put an identification mark. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to this in the first place.
• Be sure to use the factory method to stamp the expiration date and date of manufacture of coffee on the packaging. On fakes, such information can be applied with ordinary paints and printed on a printer. In addition, such inscriptions can be easily erased, which cannot be said about original products.
• We also pay attention to the price. Quite often fake coffee is cheaper. In addition, they also offer promotions and discounts so that buyers quickly buy out goods.
• Next, let's take a look at the packaging. It must be of high quality without damage and deformation. In most cases, in order to save money, scammers pack coffee in soft packaging Low quality. Therefore, it is better to choose tin or glass jars which are harder and more expensive to fake.
• Instant coffee is also quite often counterfeited. Therefore, it is better to choose custard.
• We check the appearance of coffee, which should have a beautiful uniform shade without impurities.
• You can also test coffee with cold water. You need to pour a spoonful of coffee into a glass of cold water. All foreign matter should settle to the bottom. In addition, high-quality coffee should not stain the water.

How to distinguish a fake by a barcode?

We know that a barcode is a product marking and a very indicative characteristic that indicates the country of manufacture and thus helps to determine the authenticity of the product. How to decode a barcode? Barcode sections: country code, manufacturer code, product name, consumer properties, size, weight, ingredients, color, check digit.

00-09 - USA, Canada

30-37 - France

40-44 - Germany

460-461 – Russia, CIS

471 Taiwan

49 – Japan

50 - England

52 – Greece

54 – Belgium

56 – Portugal

590 Poland

599.64 - Finland

690 China

70 - Norway

72 – Israel

73 – Sweden

789 Brazil

80-83 – Italy

84 – Spain

86 – Yugoslavia

869 Turkey

90-91 - Austria

It is important that the barcode is genuine. You can check it yourself. To do this, do the following:

• add up all the numbers in even places;
• Multiply the resulting amount by 3; result - let's call it X - remember;
• add up all the numbers in odd places, without the first (control) digit;
• add the number X to this sum;
• the sum turned out - let's call it YZ;
• we leave only Z from it;
• perform a simple arithmetic operation: 10-Z;
• if the result matches the check digit in the barcode, then this is not a fake.

Let's check the Jacobs coffee barcode: 4000508082504 (check digit - 4) 0+0+0+0+2+0=2 2×3=6 4+0+5+8+8+5=30 30+6 =36 We leave 6 from 36. 10-6=4 - the result corresponds to the check digit.

t-coffee

There may not be external signs that will help to distinguish. fakes can be if the suppliers are not verified. and it’s even quite possible that the manufacturer began to hack)) but it already depends only on them) You can safely switch to another coffee, especially now the assortment is large, different degrees of roasting, different varieties, everything can be found for every taste) if you are interested - write I will help you in the selection of coffee 🙂

Anonymous

I have been buying ground Jacobs Monarch for many years, and so, I also noticed more than once that if the package with the action is cocoa coffee, it’s better not to buy it.

I have not taken ground for a long time. Since a couple of times I also got on acorns. Only in grains. If anything, you can grind yourself.

Alexei

And I think what kind of crap was Jacobs Monarch. It dissolves poorly, and among the light brown sublimated grains, 1/3 of the dark grains of unknown origin (such as in granulated coffee). Of course, when buying soft packaging, you will not see its composition. It's a shame. After buying the last pack (brought, by the way, from Russia), I began to rummage on the Internet and came across this article. And now what to drink?

Nikolai Anatolievich

I work in the trade for bullshit-quality Jacobs - a bunch, but it differs in color, bullshit has a dull color. About 3-4 months ago in the Boguslavsky district in the hut the machine was seized by the production of Jacobs. In the bazaars, you can see a lot of it at a price. It cannot be cheaper than the official Kraft Foods distributor.

Papatut

Yes, unfortunately, now very often it is Jacobs (as one of the most expensive and most popular coffees) that is actively counterfeited. There are also many fakes on the market. Often, chasing super-profits, it is precisely such “wholesale bases” and bazaars that distribute counterfeit. You won't find this in a normal store. Kraft has already sent more than one paper for use as a counterfeit.

conclusions

A considerable amount of falsified instant coffee enters the Russian market. It is made either from low-grade, moist grains, or malt, figs, chicory, burnt sugar, caramelizates, coffee bean shells are added to the raw materials. Such a product usually has an empty taste, with bitterness and acidity uncharacteristic of coffee. Coffee with "illegal" additives cannot be considered 100%, since its quality is determined precisely by the content.

On the one hand, we, the buyers, are the main victims of falsification, and on the other hand, the major coffee concerns. They are losing the reputation gained by decades of hard work. Many connoisseurs of coffee brands such as Jacobs (Germany), Nescafe (Switzerland), Elite Classic (Israel), Cafe Pele (Brazil), Tchibo (Germany), Mossopa (Holland) , Folgers (USA), Maxwell House (USA) and others have probably already noticed that it is better to buy your favorite coffee

in specialized stores or departments of large trading enterprises, and not in small wholesale markets.

Cases of falsification of coffee have been known since the first mention of this drink in Europe. Russia was no exception to this rule, and coffee counterfeiting in our country has the same deep roots as tea counterfeiting. Fake both grain and ground coffee.

Of course, coffee beans are quite difficult to fake, but counterfeiters invented quite unusual ways his forgeries. Yes, in expensive varieties coffee traditionally added cheaper ones, which were sold at the prices of an expensive elite variety. Cases have been recorded when olive pits, balls of dough or clay were given out as beautiful coffee beans, which were covered with caramelized sugar solution on top, roasted and added to real coffee. Thus, the mass and volume of the sold product was increased.

To counterfeit ground coffee, various substitutes for natural coffee were used, which were either mixed with it or completely replaced it. Burnt sugar and various plants were used as such substitutes: chicory, dandelion, wine berries, rye, barley, peas, nuts. They were crushed and added to coffee.

But the most famous substitute for ground coffee was and remains chicory. In the process of its production, first the roots of this plant are cleaned, dried, then roasted, mixed with sugar, ground and added to natural coffee.

To determine the country of growth and production of a particular coffee, as a rule, quality indicators such as the color and appearance of the beans are used, as well as the surface condition of the bean, which different types and different types of coffee.

The main types of coffee falsification are shown in the table.

Types of falsification of coffee and methods for its detection

Unfortunately, any popular product sooner or later, enterprising businessmen try to copy (of course, without caring about quality at all). They also fake coffee, much to the chagrin of coffee lovers. It is not enough that such a drink tastes terrible, but it can also be harmful! Cheap raw materials are to blame for the unpleasant taste. All that is not suitable for execution quality drink, can be found in the composition of low-quality, so to speak, coffee .: overcooked, defective, wet grains, as well as waste coffee production. But a serious health hazard can be ingredients that do not relate to the process of creating a drink at all. Beans, burnt sugar, chicory and malt are just the beginning of a long list of substances that can be found in fake coffee.
Real coffee is very easy to distinguish from fake coffee. fake coffee has a foreign smell or specific, uncharacteristic impurities in the aroma. If the drink has already been bought, then by the repulsive unpleasant taste it is easy to understand whether you have purchased natural coffee.
Most often, it is instant coffee that is counterfeited. This probably indicates the greatest popularity of this drink in Russia. The composition of fake instant coffee is aimed at imitating the appearance of the drink. For this purpose, rye, ground beans, barley, etc. can be found in it. After you try to brew the “miracle powder”, it will not dissolve in the cup, but will turn into an incomprehensible brown liquid.
But, as we noted above, a non-repulsive taste in the first place should cause concern for the average consumer - it can be "hammered" with all kinds of fragrances and flavors, much more dangerous harm, which such a drink can cause health.
The basis of good real coffee is coffee beans, and, accordingly, the composition of the drink differs, first of all, in the content of caffeine. Fake coffee stands out against the background of the natural quantity and quality of caffeine, which is practically absent in an artificial product, or it is in very small quantities. Some counterfeiters add chemical caffeine or, without much bother, simply buy artificial caffeine in pharmacies and, grinding it, add it to a mixture that will be sold under the guise of coffee. In this case, specific inclusions can be easily seen in the purchased powder. The harm that counterfeit coffee will have in this case is even difficult to predict. The fact is that artificial caffeine has a much stronger concentration than real caffeine. In this case, the heart, digestive and nervous system person.
These techniques are used by counterfeiters to create both fake ground and fake instant coffee. The most amazing thing is that lately scammers have managed to create fake coffee beans as well. Ground coffee is faked according to the already mentioned principle. Here, the cheapest varieties of coffee or rejected leftovers, a variety of cereals that are not related to the drink, chicory are involved in the process. Coffee beans created according to a more complicated program. Here, natural coffee beans are replaced with beans or tiny clay fakes. It is clear that the main goal here is external similarity, since it will not work to make even more or less tolerable coffee from such “products”.
If fake coffee is made quite high quality, then at first it can be difficult to distinguish it. But to help the average consumer, there are a number of signs that help to find the real natural coffe among the mass of low-quality goods. If you use these simple tricks, the risk of buying fake coffee is minimized.
Like it or not, but the price is the first thing that will indicate a fake. High-quality coffee cannot cost less than what was spent on it when it was created, so a price that is too low should alert you and arouse suspicion. If the requested amount is too low, then you probably have a low-grade mixture in the pack. The next thing to pay attention to is the packaging. Responsible producers, as a rule, pack good coffee in tins or glass jars, which will help to preserve the refined taste and aroma of the drink for a long time. Presumptuous businessmen, in turn, most often do not spend money on expensive containers - they are usually simply replaced with cheap transparent plastic packages, in which fake coffee will later be sold.
But even if you buy coffee in a can, pay attention to how the box is framed. Large manufacturers do not actually use stickers and labels. All inscriptions are made on the box itself. This complicates the counterfeiting of the drink, since it is much easier and cheaper to stamp the same type of cans and stick paper labels on them. In addition, the package must contain all information about the manufacturer: barcode, country of origin, expiration date. Pay attention to the barcode - the first three digits must match the code of the declared country of origin. Another nuance that will help you when choosing a high-quality drink: pay attention to the quality of the inscriptions. The blurry and indistinct outlines of the letters should arouse suspicion in you. But also vice versa: too bright packaging talks about a low-quality manufacturer and fake coffee.
Be careful when examining the packaging: the design, which is too clearly reminiscent of another well-known manufacturer, as well as the very name of the product, consonant with the name of a popular coffee brand, speaks of unscrupulous manufacturers who are unlikely to have taken responsibility for creating the drink itself.
And the last thing I would like to mention about fake coffee: many manufacturers today producing a drink in foil bags equip it (the bag) with a special valve as an addition. This valve allows you to appreciate the delicate aroma of the coffee product. The presence of such a device on the purchased product indicates that the manufacturer is not afraid to demonstrate the quality of the created product, and, accordingly, such a drink at least deserves attention. The package itself should be tight enough. This is due to the fact that the manufacturer, taking care of a longer preservation of the proper quality of the drink, pumps out all the air from the package. Thus, the presence of air in the bag indicates that either the packaging is damaged and the coffee in it has already begun to oxidize, or the drink was made by unscrupulous manufacturers and does not have the proper level of quality.

If you want to buy a real fragrant drink that can please you with its aroma and taste for a long time, you can buy natural coffee on our website, avoiding the dubious purchase of fake coffee.