Traces of fecal bacteria have been found in drinks sold by Britain’s three major coffee chains, a BBC investigation has found. It found that ice drinks from Starbucks, Caffe Nero, and Costa all had traces of the fecal-derived pathogen. Seven out of 10 samples from Costa, which has been voted the nation’s favorite coffee shop for the third year in a row, were found to contain the bacteria. Three out of 10 samples from Starbucks and Caffe Nero were found to contain the bacteria,

known as fecal coliform. Tony Lewis of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health said the results are “concerning.” “These should not be present at any level – never mind the significant numbers found,” he said. Lewis warned that such “opportunistic pathogens” are the cause of “human disease.” All three chains said they are now investigating the issue. READ MORE