We Regret to Inform You that There Is Probably Still Poo in Your Iced Coffee

Hey, remember when we told you that there might be poop in your iced coffee? Well, some news: There still might be poop in your iced coffee.

Last summer, the BBC’s Watchdog program tested iced drinks at ten stores from each of the biggest coffee chains in the United Kingdom and, in 13 of those stores, the researchers found fecal coliform bacteria in the ice. After presumably squirming through the entire broadcast, the Welsh Food Microbiological Forum (WFMF) suggested that maybe it should investigate the poop quotient in another round of studies in its country’s own iced lattes—and the results were equally gross.

According to the BBC, the WFMF took 164 samples from both chain and independent coffee shops scattered throughout the country and “almost a quarter” of that ice contained fecal bacteria. The tests were all conducted between July and October of last year, and the locations that tested positive for Nasty Ass Ice Machines have subsequently been visited by food safety officers to further address those concerns.

“Issues identified as contributing to poor results were mainly related to inadequate cleaning and maintenance procedures of the ice machine, poor personal hygiene practices, and inadequate storage of ice scoops," Paul Ellis, the chairman of the WFMF, told the BBC. He also recommended that further studies should be conducted to ensure that “hygiene improvements are being sustained,” a polite way of saying “We’re still not convinced the baristas wash their hands after doing a Number 2.”

Although this is enough to make you dump the rest of your iced coffee down the nearest drain—regardless of whether you live in Wales, once visited Wales or are unaware of what a “Wales” is—at least one outlet says you’d be freaking out over nothing. Ben Chapman, a food safety specialist, told LiveScience that although fecal coliform can be found in feces (it’s not just a clever name), it’s a bacteria that can also be present in other non-rectal locations, like on fruits and vegetables. “Bacteria is everywhere, and if you look for it, you're going to find it," he said.

LiveScience also said that there are a lot of bacteria that are classified as fecal coliform—including some that aren’t found in feces at all. The test for this bacteria was developed in 1906 and can frequently produce false positives, and lead to unnecessary feces-related freakouts; scientists and microbiologists have suggested that additional testing, especially for ultra-nasties like E. coli, should be performed to determine what the real risks might be.

“There have been several instances where fecal coliform results have been incorrectly interpreted,” Microbe Magazine scoffed. “One of the most sensational situations occurred in 1995 when the US news media reported that high populations of fecal coliforms in restaurant-brewed tea indicated the presence of feces in tea.” Despite a positive test for fecal coliform, the magazine explains, the bacteria present did not include E. coli, and there were no illnesses reported that could be connected to drinking the affected tea.

So there might be fecal bacteria in your iced coffee, but that doesn’t always mean you’re drinking chilled poop bits. But it might.

And it also might mean that someone is ignoring those “Employees Must Wash Hands” signs in the bathrooms, so maybe it’s better to stick to hot drinks when you’re getting coffee to go.