Is this dangerous?

Our local Raley's has the Java City coffee inside their store and as I stated in the Starbuck's post, it is my favorite coffee. They keep their nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, etc. powders on top of a machine that is very warm (don't know what it is) but the top is metal and vented. I noticed today that the powders were very warm and I had a hard time shaking the nutmeg and cinnamon into my coffee. Can the oils in these powders turn rancid from the containers sitting on the heat all day and could that be the cause of stomach upsets occasionally after drinking the coffee?

I don't know for sure, Karen, but it seems to me that if they went a bit rancid, you'd have a taste issue rather than a potential health issue. Just a guess, though.

The higher the temperature is, the faster chemical reactions proceed. Reaction with oxygen in the air is going to be faster if the condiments are heated.

I doubt if this would cause tummy upset. The worst that would happen is the condiments would be stale.

-Paul W.

They taste fine, and I've never had any problems, but a friend has. Knowing that coffee can cause stomach upsets, I wondered about the spices. It just seems a strange place to keep them.