Coffee Consumption Habits and Microbiological Quality of Café Coffees in a University Campus

Sevde Kahraman^1, , Şevval Maral Özcan Aykol^{2, 3}, Elif Aras¹, Esra Akbay^{1, 2}, Zehra Çelik¹, Zeynep Sena Koçyiğit^{1, 2} and Larasu Tuana Davşan⁴

¹Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Biruni University, Istanbul, Türkiye

²Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Biruni University, Istanbul, Türkiye

³Biruni University Research Center (B@MER), Biruni University, Istanbul, Türkiye

⁴Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Biruni University, Istanbul, Türkiye

Cite this paper:
Sevde Kahraman, Şevval Maral Özcan Aykol, Elif Aras, Esra Akbay, Zehra Çelik, Zeynep Sena Koçyiğit and Larasu Tuana Davşan. Coffee Consumption Habits and Microbiological Quality of Café Coffees in a University Campus. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. 2025; 13(11):415-420. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-13-11-1

Abstract

This study investigated coffee consumption habits of students at a health-themed university and evaluated the microbiological quality of campus café products. A two-phase design was employed. First, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 240 students to assess consumption frequency, type preferences, and perceptions of hygienic quality. Second, an experimental analysis was performed on six coffee types (latte, mocha, cold brew, caramel macchiato, iced latte, and americano), collected at 0, 45, and 90 minutes, to determine mesophilic bacterial and yeast counts with Gram staining of selected colonies. Survey results showed that 76.2% consumed Turkish coffee and 68.8% preferred latte, while 77.1% never consumed espresso. Turkish coffee was the most frequent choice, typically consumed once daily (22.9%) or 2-3 times daily (12.9%). Consumption habits were significantly associated with hygienic perceptions (p=0.037). Microbiological tests revealed rapid bacterial growth in mocha and cold brew, with mocha exhibiting the highest bacterial and yeast counts, whereas americano and iced latte showed no growth. Findings highlight increased microbial risks in milk- and sugar-containing coffees, emphasizing the need for hygiene controls, reduced holding times, and greater student awareness.

Keywords:
coffee campus food sevices hygiene microbial contamination food safety

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