Civet coffee declared 'halal' by Muslim council

Indonesia's top Islamic body has declared that Muslims can drink civet coffee - the world's most expensive coffee, which is extracted from the dung of civet cats.

A preacher recently suggested the beverage might not be "halal" - or religiously approved - because its provenance makes it unclean. But yesterday, the influential Indonesian Ulema Council said that the coffee, known locally as Kopi Luwak, could be consumed as long as the beans were washed.

Kopi Luwak, which takes it name from the Indonesian word for civets, is made from hard beans that have been eaten by the nocturnal animals and then fermented in their stomachs before being pooped out and roasted. The highly prized coffee fetches around 400 a kilo.

"Kopi Luwak can be declared 'halal' after passing through a washing process," said Maruf Amien, acting head of the council. "Producing, selling and drinking it is allowed."

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, Kopi Luwak is produced in the main Java island, Sumatra and Sulawesi with only 450kgs are said to be produced annually worldwide.

The Ulema Council's edicts are not legally binding, but many devout Muslims abide by them.