There has been a recall on some instant and canned coffee products in Canada due to possible melamine contamination. The press release as follows provides information about which products have been recalled and how to figure out if you’ve got some in you kitchen cupboards.

Crisis sparks Canadian recall of instant coffee

Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, September 23

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said early today a Canadian importer of instant coffee was pulling several of its products because they may contain melamine.

Thai Indochine Trading Inc., based in Markham, Ont., voluntarily recalled several of its instant coffee products after learning the Taiwanese manufacturer had issued a recall in Taiwan, the agency said.

The instant coffee products were sold under the Mr. Brown 3-in-1 brand in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba, and include Mandheling Blend Coffee, Blue Mountain Blend and Arabica Coffee. The recalled brands were produced between April 9, 2008 and Sept. 12, 2008 and have best-before dates ranging from April 9, 2010 to Sept. 12, 2010.

There have been no illnesses associated with the consumption of the product, the agency said.

What to do with old coffee beans and spent coffee grinds

With the amount of coffee I drink, I produce quite a bit of refuse in the form of either stale coffee, or spent coffee grinds after brewing up my 5 morning pots of coffee. This led me to wonder just what I could be using this seemingly unusable waste for. The following methods are tried and true uses for your old coffee……whole bean or ground coffee.

Coffee Composting for Plant food

Many planets such as rosebushes, azaleas, and camellias that prefer acidic soils will appreciate the leftovers from your morning cup. The coffee will change the chemistry of the soil slightly making it more acidic. Coffee grinds and old stale beans can also be composted adding nutrients to your compost bin.

Coffee Pest Deterrent

You can add ground coffee beans to the plant pots in your house. It will help keep flies and other mites at bay and also improve the quality and texture of your soil. Be sure not to mix too much in as excess use could cause mould or other issues. CATS! Yes, keep your kitty away from your vegetable and flower gardens by simply sprinkling coffee grounds around the plants.

Coffee Cleaning Product

Ground coffee is slightly abrasive. These grounds can be used as a scouring agent for greasy and grimy stain-resistant objects. Be sure to use this only on surfaces that won’t be scratched easily.

Coffee Deodorizer

Here is one tip that I thought was particularly interesting. When changing your garbage bags, pour whole, un-ground beans into our trashcan before putting the new bag or liner in. The next time you change out the garbage, dump the old beans into the trash bag and add new ones to the bottom of the bin before replacing the bag. Coffee is also amazing at absorbing foul odours in your fridge or freezer. Dry them thouroughly and then put them in a bowl in your refrigerator or freezer. You can also use coffee grinds by rubbing them on your hands to get rid of food prep smells like garlic, onion or fish.

Cleaning your Coffee Grinder

If you have a coffee grinder at home, you can clean it by grinding minute rice in it. Once you’ve ground the rice, remove it from the grinder and discard in your composter. Next, add some old stale coffee beans to the coffee grinder to remove any leftover residue from the rice that was ground previously.