In recent years, RTD nitro cold brew has become one of the most sought-after products offered by specialty coffee businesses. 

The production of ready-to-drink cold brew products, including RTD nitro cold brew, offers both an appealing product to a fast-growing segment of young consumers and a means for businesses to diversify and grow their offerings and menu. 

One of the greatest challenges in RTD nitro cold brew production is adhering to food safety standards. This ensures that the process minimises the risk of contamination and provides a product that is not only delicious but safe to consume. 

Stringent regulations for RTD nitro cold brew products in the European Union (EU) provide a means to prepare them to the highest food safety standards, promising quality and well-being to consumers. 

We spoke with Ildi Revi, Chief Learning Officer at Purity Coffee Inc., to get a clearer understanding of RTD nitro cold brew safety.

Why are EU regulations for RTD nitro cold brew so effective? 

RTD nitro cold brew risks exposure to fungal and bacterial contamination during preparation and transport. Bacteria such as E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes are of particular concern. Many of the varying regulations around cold brew coffee involve it being considered a low-acid food – with a pH above 4.6 – meaning it must undergo processing to become shelf-stable. 

Coffee brewed with hot water typically negates such risks, but the lack of heat required in the production of RTD nitro cold brew requires specific risk management actions. 

“Refrigeration and proper sanitation are required in any regulatory guidance to both prevent microbial growth and ensure safety standards,” says Ildi.  “Cold brew coffee that is not shelf stable is considered a Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food, meaning it must be brewed, held, and dispensed at 5°C/41°F or below and date-stamped for consumption no more than seven days from production.

“Also, controlling the amount of oxygen in the package – keeping it to a level below normal atmospheric levels (about 21% at sea level) – and how this is done should be part of all food safety plans, according to most regulations.”

In large coffee-consuming markets such as the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a number of requirements for food safety practices, including refrigeration and storage guidance. 

However, the FDA has less thorough regulations than its European counterpart, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

As the EU’s regulatory body for food safety, EFSA has extremely thorough and effective regulations concerning the production of RTD nitro cold brew products. To comply with these regulations, RTD nitro cold brew manufacturers must adhere to many standards and keep documentation and records updated via various portals. 

“The regulations’ effectiveness relies on comprehensive documentation requirements, and EFSA has created various digital tools and portals for roasters or manufacturers to submit their documents for review,” confirms Ildi.

“Food manufacturers need to keep up with their record-keeping, making sure that they have all required information accurately recorded and accessible because EFSA conducts regular audits and inspections to verify them.”

Manufacturers of RTD nitro cold brew products can also ensure that they meet safety requirements through the use of modern and high-quality equipment.

For example, Hardtank uses food-grade stainless steel, automatic sanitation and cleaning, and dedicated cleaning products to ensure that all cold brew is produced well and to the highest safety standards. 

Traditional cold brew methods are vulnerable to contamination

In the past, coffee shops and other venues have produced traditional and small batches of cold brew coffee in-house. 

This has usually been done with a simple immersion method, combining water and ground coffee within a sealed container for prolonged periods, either in a refrigerator or at ambient temperature.

These traditional methods do not comply with regulatory food safety standards and are vulnerable to contamination. Without a step to eliminate pathogens – such as applying heat or storing in food-grade containers – they risk bacterial and fungal growth, endangering consumers’ health and safety.

Cold brew prepared under refrigeration has less risk of such contamination; however, it will have a shorter shelf life and need to remain refrigerated until consumed, preferably in less than a week. Ildi says that “ambient” cold brewing – when cold water is added to coffee and it is left on the counter at room temperature – is particularly problematic.

“Although roasting kills off bacterial spores, ambient cold brew’s long steeping time could allow for cross-contamination if bacteria are accidentally introduced at any point during preparation and handling,” Ildi says. “Several strains of pathogens grow at this rate, especially psychrophiles, like listeria, which are bacteria that thrive in cooler temperatures. Yeast, bacteria, and mould can all survive at ambient temperatures.”

As more businesses seek out professional options such as private label RTD nitro cold brew to scale their production, the growing popularity of cold brew products has required more stringent methods and regulations. 

EFSA legislation classifies cold brew and RTD nitro cold brew as unpasteurised food products, requiring specific hygiene parameters for their production and storage.  

“RTD beverages need to last on the shelf for a while, so they need to go through some type of processes, like pasteurisation or aseptic packaging, to prevent [the] growth of microorganisms and spoiling,” Ildi adds. 

While there are other options to maintain quality and ensure a level of safety – such as the use of additives or preservatives – Ildi says that proper processing that adheres to EU standards is the best way to mitigate the risk of contaminants.

“Any RTD cold brew being sold as a shelf-stable canned product is classified as a low-acid product, and it must be processed to prevent [the] growth of clostridium botulinum (aka “botulism”), a heat-resistant bacterium that produces dangerous toxins under low-oxygen conditions – like being sealed in a bottle or can.”

Partnering with an EU-based RTD nitro cold brew supplier can help

While the US has had several cases of illness due to poor compliance with food safety standards, RTD nitro cold brew produced in the EU is considered extremely safe – especially when done by a certified third party. 

Most EU food manufacturers currently producing cold-brew coffee products are doing so to high standards, meaning most RTD nitro cold brew is overwhelmingly safe for consumption. 

At Hardtank, we employ multiple pasteurisations with a 20-24 hour break between each stage—a process called tyndallization. This process ensures the safety and longevity of our RTD nitro cold brew products, in addition to thorough and regular cleaning of all equipment and cans.

Risks arise, however, when businesses either choose to produce their own RTD nitro cold brew products in-house without adhering to EU food safety standards or when third parties need to have adequate equipment or practices to reach these standards. 

“Unless a coffee company is willing and able to invest in all the required equipment, supplies, training, ongoing monitoring and compliance work, using a third-party GFSI-certified facility makes more sense,” Ildi advises. “Coffee roasting companies are in business to roast coffee. RTD manufacturing is a whole other business.”

Although several studies claim that coffee holds inherent antiseptic or antibacterial properties thanks to its acidity level, Ildi says that antimicrobial compounds produced during roasting and the potentially low level of nutrients present support microbial growth of cold brew. 

In addition, many in-house cold brewing processes do not control for C. botulinum, one of the most dangerous potential bacterial growths in RTD nitro cold brew production. At Hardtank, we pack in conditions maintained at high oxygen levels, inhibiting the growth of such anaerobic bacteria.

“It is risky if roasters cite this information as a reason not to adhere to food safety practices.  The key point is that these compounds inhibit the growth of microorganisms; they don’t kill microorganisms; they just don’t let microorganisms survive or reproduce,” she says.

For in-house operations seeking to produce RTD nitro cold brew, meeting the necessary food safety requirements in the EU is extremely challenging. Using a third-party RTD supplier based in the EU, such as Hardtank, can better ensure that both safety standards are met and that the coffee produced is of high quality. 

“The reality of it is that manufacturers should want to comply with the regulations because they reflect the latest science in food safety and keeping people from getting sick from a cold brew,” Ildi says. 

“The rules are effective because they are based on science. If a company doesn’t want to comply, or it’s too much investment to comply, then they should re-think whether or not they really want to do cold brew.” 

Learn more about how Hardtank can help you offer your customers a line of RTD nitro cold brew coffee that meets the highest EU safety standards here or contact our team. 

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Hardtank RTD nitro cold brew