Cat dung coffee 'may be unclean'

Indonesia's top Islamic body says it may forbid followers from drinking the world's most expensive coffee - extracted from the dung of a civet cat - over concerns it is unclean.

Kopi Luwak is made from hard beans that have been eaten by the cats and then fermented in their stomachs before being pooped out and roasted.

It's highly prized for its smooth flavour and bitterless aftertaste, sometimes fetching well over $US440 (NZ$629.66) per kg.

Maruf Amien, acting head of the powerful Ulema Council, said the key issue is whether or not the coffee is clean.

"God willing it will be an easy decision," said Amien. "If the farmers clean the beans before they are ground, they are halal, or legitimate, and there won't be a problem."

Kopi Luwak is produced on several Indonesian islands, spanning from Sumatra in the west to Sulawesi in the east, but it also can be found under different names elsewhere in South-East Asia.

Only 450kg are said to be produced annually worldwide.

- AP