Zoka Responds to FDA Allegations of Rat Poo

According to The Consumerist, the FDA issued a warning letter to Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Company earlier this month alerting the award-winning roaster that after an April 2011 inspection of the facilities, inspectors had turned up several violations, the most disturbing being 1,500 bits of rodent poo lying about the storage area for unroasted green coffee burlap bags (or as the FDA adorably labels them, REPs, or "rodent excreta pellets").

When asked about the matter, Zoka's General Manager, Patrick Mazzuca said, "the FDA Letter was a mistake." He said that Zoka has been working closely with the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) for the past six months and that the WSDA just two weeks ago gave their facilities a "spotless" rating. Mazzuca has promised to share some supporting documentation.

The FDA letter was dated September 9 and addressed to Jeff Babcock, Zoka's founder and Managing Partner. It demands that Zoka document its compliance with photographic and documentary proof within 15 days. Eater has reached out to Brenda Reihing, the FDA Compliance Officer referenced in the letter to verify whether Zoka had filed a timely response.

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