Think you're addicted to your morning grande skim mocha latte with an extra espresso shot? You've got nothing on Robert Bohannon.
"I was eating coffee beans when I was eight years old," said Bohannon, who has a doctorate in microbiology and owns Sips Coffee and Tea in Durham. "And I was having coffee with my dad at five or six in the morning when he got up and that was sort of our time together."
Now, Bohannon is taking his love of coffee to the next level by developing baked goods that contain 50 milligrams of caffeine in each serving, or about half the amount of caffeine present in a single cup of coffee.
Bohannon describes the conception of the "Buzz Donuts" and "Buzzed Bagels" products as a classic light-bulb-over-the-head moment.
"So when I first started this, I ran out of coffee," he said. "All I had was milk and a donut about six years ago, and I'm going, 'Man, all I want is a little buzz to get me going in the morning. Why don't they make caffeinated donuts?'"
But as visiting his Durham lab proves, adding caffeine to baked goods isn't so simple.
At first, Bohannon collaborated with a local baker in order to bring his idea to life. "[The baker] had great donuts-the best glazed donuts I've ever had-but when I caffeinated them, they were the worst glazed donuts I had ever had. It's just really bitter and it tasted like an aluminum can when I made these things."
He is true to his word-a taste of regular, food-grade caffeine leaves an acrid, metallic taste on the back of the tongue. But Bohannon's modified caffeine is as fine and smooth as flour, with no aftertaste to speak of.
What is the secret?
His modifications are relatively simple, relying on technological advancements in the pharmaceutical industry.
"Remember the vile tasting medicines? They're terribly bitter, just like caffeine," he said. "Now [scientists] are microencapsulating them. So we're taking that bad stuff and we're starting to put these little coatings on the outside [of the molecules], so then you don't have to add so much sugar and flavoring. So now it's more palatable."
And with Bohannon expecting these products to hit the store shelves sometime in the next six months, students are anticipating their arrival as an alternative to current caffeine-fueled products, such as sugared sodas and energy drinks.
"That sounds horrible-I don't need another temptation," joked senior Lindsey Kueser. "I think it would be extremely popular, especially in the college environment, being caffeine and a snack at the same time."
Senior Kevin Fang agreed, adding that in Duke's multitasking, on-the-go environment, anything that serves multiple functions would be of interest to students.
"People just eat donuts and drink coffee anyways, so why not just eliminate the coffee?" Fang said.
But like many innovations, as Kueser also noted, there are some possible downsides.
"We've managed to cram one more drug inside a glazed heart attack," she said. "I mean, can you imagine people running around on a caffeine-mixed sugar high?"
Anna Lutz, student health dietitian, voiced similar concerns, noting the adverse health effects of caffeine.
"The problem is, it doesn't have a lasting effect, so you constantly need more caffeine. People need to concentrate on getting more sleep and eating healthier."
Lutz added that besides a risk of addiction, the effects of over-consuming caffeine include a spike in blood pressure, headaches and jittery or nervous feelings.
Bohannon, though, dismissed these worries, urging that moderation is key.
"We're trying to aim for maybe 50 milligrams on a donut or a bagel, so you'd have to OD on like 100 donuts before you'd have too much caffeine," Bohannon said. "And if you have 100 donuts you'll explode. You'll probably die of lard hardening in the veins or something."
Even Lutz admitted there were some benefits to ingesting moderate amounts of caffeine, including a reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
No matter the benefits or risks, Bohannon envisions a bright future for his Buzz baked goods. He hopes to expand his line to include donuts with coffee and hazelnut flavored frostings, and even a Buzz donut with less caffeine-a "Buzz Light," as Bohannon jokes.
Just don't expect a decaf version anytime soon.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.