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Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee

Common questions

Is Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee healthy?

Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee scores 12/100 on Scout's independent analysis of ingredients, additives, and lab results — one of the lower scores in Scout's catalog. Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee scores 12/100.

How processed is Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee?

Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee is NOVA Group 2: Processed Culinary Ingredients.

How does Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee compare to other coffee?

Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee ranks #22 of 22 coffee in Scout's independent rankings. The current top score in the category is Laird Superfood Peruvian Medium Roast Coffee with Functional Mushrooms Certified Organic Peruvian Ground Coffee Beans Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Non-GMO Paleo Keto Friendly Bag at 98/100.

Which ingredients drive Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee's score?

In Scout's ingredient-by-ingredient analysis, 100% Arabica Coffee counts in its favor; Benzene (Detected), Toluene (Detected), Methylene Chloride (Detected) are flagged as ingredients of concern. The full breakdown, with why each one matters, is in the Key ingredients section on this page.

Healthy alternatives

98
Laird Superfood Peruvian Medium Roast Coffee with Functional Mushrooms Certified Organic Peruvian Ground Coffee Beans Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Non-GMO Paleo Keto Friendly Bag
Laird Superfood
$28.94
95
Anthony's Organic Instant Coffee
Anthony's
$14.19
93
Black Rifle Coffee Classic Roast
Black Rifle Coffee
$17.49
89
Mt. Comfort Coffee Organic Peru Medium Roast Bag
Mt. Comfort Coffee
$59.98

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Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee

12 Poor

At a glance

Beneficial ingredients 1
Harmful ingredients 5
Category Coffee
Summary

Starbucks Decaf House Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee scores 12/100. Independent testing cited in the Williams & Strauss class action (Jan 2026) detected three volatile organic compounds in this SKU: Benzene at 28 ppb (IARC Group 1 carcinogen, 5.6× the US drinking-water MCL of 5 ppb), Toluene at 87 ppb (developmental neurotoxin), and Methylene Chloride at 22 ppb (IARC Group 2A, EPA-banned for consumer uses 2024). Starbucks confirms it uses the methylene-chloride Direct Contact Method for most of its decaf line — only Komodo Dragon and VIA Instant Decaf use the chemical-free Swiss Water Process. Conventional non-organic Latin American sourcing (C.A.F.E. Practices is not an organic certification). Pre-ground form accelerates oxidation, degrading chlorogenic-acid antioxidants within ~2 weeks. Starbucks denies the lawsuit's test results.

Key ingredients 7

Benzene (Detected)
Very Bad

IARC Group 1 known human carcinogen with no safe exposure level. Causally linked to leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and aplastic anemia.

See more about Benzene (Detected) →
Toluene (Detected)
Very Bad

Aromatic developmental neurotoxin; EPA hazardous air pollutant. Not expected in finished coffee from coffee chemistry alone.

See more about Toluene (Detected) →
Methylene Chloride (Detected)
Very Bad

IARC Group 2A probable carcinogen. EPA banned methylene chloride for most consumer uses in 2024. Any detectable residue contradicts the brand's 'no residue after roasting' claim.

See more about Methylene Chloride (Detected) →
Direct Contact Decaffeination
Bad

Brand-confirmed use of methylene-chloride solvent for the majority of its decaf line. A structural choice vs. the chemical-free Swiss Water Process.

See more about Direct Contact Decaffeination →
Conventional Non-Organic Sourcing
Bad

Not USDA Organic. Latin American coffee routinely involves pre-harvest glyphosate desiccation and synthetic fertilizers.

See more about Conventional Non-Organic Sourcing →
Pre-Ground
Neutral

Pre-ground coffee oxidizes within ~2 weeks of grinding, degrading chlorogenic-acid antioxidants and developing rancid lipid byproducts.

See more about Pre-Ground →
100% Arabica Coffee
Good

Higher-quality species than Robusta — smoother flavor, lower caffeine, higher chlorogenic acids. A clean single-ingredient base.

See more about 100% Arabica Coffee →

Processing

Group 2 · Culinary ingredients

Processed Culinary Ingredients

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