Test proved that the espresso in the EC headquaters is contaminated. File photo
State-of-the-art espresso machines installed in January in the European Commission headquarters have been withdrawn after tests proved they brew contaminated coffee.
After archivist Alexander Just found that the coffee tasted odd and sent a sample to a lab in his home country, Austria, it was proved that in every cup of coffee there were levels of nickel 175 times above the recommended intake and 16% too much lead.
"We can't switch these machines on if we have these concerns," Dennis Abbott, a spokesman for the commission said.
The Italian machines Cimbali, which cost about EUR 6000 each, have now been removed from the offices of the 27 commissioners, including the President.
Over-exposure to nickel can affect people with allergies by prompting skin problems or gastrointestinal disorders.