A coffee shop chain has insured its chief taste tester's tongue for £10 million, it was revealed today.

Gennaro Pelliccia ensures the 108 million cups of Costa Coffee drunk worldwide each year meet his standards.

He personally tastes every batch of raw coffee beans at the company's roastery in Lambeth, south London, before they are roasted and shipped to its stores.

Mr Pelliccia said: "In my profession my taste buds and sensory skills are crucial. My 18 years of experience enable me to distinguish between thousands of flavours.

"My taste buds also allow me to distinguish any defects, which enable me to protect and guarantee Costa's unique Mocha Italia blend."

A spokesman for Lloyd's broker Glencairn Limited, which arranged the insurance cover, said: "The taste buds of a Master of Coffee are as important as the vocal cords of a singer or the legs of a top model, and this is one of the biggest single insurance policies taken out for one person.