Coffee

The by-products of coffee processing are mainly coffee pulp, parchment husks and coffee husks. The main environmentally sustainable alternative uses include soil conditioner, fertilizer, mulch, animal feed, alcohol, bio gas, charcoal, heat energy, wax, and acids.

Coffee chaff from coffee roasting and spent coffee grounds from coffee manufacturing can also be used as CO2-neutral fuels. Spent coffee grounds from soluble coffee production can be burned as renewable fuel which replaces or reduces fossil fuel use for other production stages.

Four common sustainable coffee by-products include the following,

Composting

• Coffee pulp is a rich source of nutrients: 0.5% nitrogen; 0.15% phosphorus, and 0.5% potassium.
• Coffee pulp can be treated and used as organic fertilizer.
• Usually the coffee pulp is placed on piles and left to compost for about 3 to 12 months.
• During that time, coffee pulp turns into rich, black humus excellent for composting.
• Using organic fertilizers improves soil conditions and increases agricultural yield.
• Farmers save money otherwise spent buying inorganic fertilizers.

Mushroom planting soil

• Coffee pulp can also be used as planting soil for mushroom production.
• When used for this purpose, the coffee pulp is fermented for about two days.
• The coffee pulp is then pasteurized with hot water, drained, dried and mixed with mushroom spores.
• Next, the mixture is put in plastic bags with holes where the mushrooms develop for about 3 to 4 weeks.
• When the mushrooms grow out of the holes, they are collected.
• One bag allows for about 2 to 3 mushroom harvests.
• The fresh mushrooms are for table consumption or they can be dried for sale.
• The income from mushroom growing can be significant for the farmers who do this.

Animal feed supplement

• Coffee pulp is very rich in nutrients.
• Coffee pulp can be dried and used in animal feed.
• The pulp needs to be treated as quickly as possible to prevent the development of fungi.
• Usually, coffee pulp is treated with calcium hydroxide and dried under pressure.
• Another way to dry pulp, in the absence of industrial equipment, is to mix the coffee pulp with sugar cane molasses or other inorganic substances before storing the mix in silos.
• The resulting silage is available for use after 3 weeks and can remain stored for up to 18 months.
• The use of coffee pulp for this by-product appears to offer limited value because the cost of processing the pulp can exceed the gain derived from its use.
• The research on the effects of caffeine, potassium and other natural chemicals in the pulp on the health of animals is ongoing and will be influential for the future of this by-product.

Energy source for heat exchangers of coffee driers

• The most energy consuming step in coffee processing is drying.
• Sun drying is very common and offers many benefits but has drawbacks as well.
• Sun drying conserves energy, minimizes the use of fossil fuels and reduces costs.
• However, parchment coffee can be contaminated with dust and dirt during the sun drying process.
• Rainstorms happen without warning and are a challenge for farmers to prevent bean re-wetting which can promote bacterial infections and moldy growth.
• Because sun drying is time intensive, many coffee processors choose mechanical drying. The downside is that the cost to operate mechanical dryers is high and can cut down on margins.
• Using coffee parchment husks as the energy source for burners for heat exchangers of coffee driers is both a great environmentally friendly waste-recycling and energy-saving solution.

With international markets changing and the economic pressures mounting everywhere, crops such as coffee require innovative thinking to improve efficiency, cost effectiveness, quality and competitiveness. Sustainable coffee by-product development will continue to be a fast growing and important field of research.

What about drinking a delicious cup of Kona Extra Fancy Certified?

Timothy (“Tim”) S. Collins, the author, is called by those who know him “Gourmet Coffee Guy.” He is an expert in article writing who has done extensive research online and offline in his area of expertise, coffee marketing, as well as in other areas of personal and professional interest.

Come visit the author’s website: http://www.ourgourmetcoffee.com

Copyright – Timothy S. Collins. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Author: Timothy S. Collins
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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It is widely believed that coffee is a native of the Ethiopian rain forest, which lies in eastern Africa in the southern part of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean on its northern side. But, that was over hundred years ago. In present times, there are over 50 countries across the world where coffee is cultivated on a substantial scale. Some of these are Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guatemala, Vietnam, Indonesia and Yemen besides Ethiopia, of course.

A common fact that many people, including regular coffee drinkers, do not know is where coffee comes from. These same people may say it comes from plants, but little knowing that these are actually trees!

Yes, that is true! Coffee grows on trees, though these trees may not always be tall as many coffee farmers prefer to keep their trees short because it is easier at harvesting time to deal with shorter trees. Just like the climate in the original country where coffee was first grown, the South American rainforest area too, provides similar shade as required for the optimum yield in coffee plantations.

Thus, it can safely be said that the best coffee in the world is that grown near the equator, as it requires tropical environment to produce best results. Apart from shade, coffee trees need a fair bit of water, and sun though no special soil conditions. In some areas, coffee farmers may use fertilizer to increase productivity but doing so may be detrimental for the environment.

However, national coffee boards of the above mentioned countries which are top producers of coffee beans reveal that the best beans come from coffee trees planted in tropical plantations at high altitudes, which typically have rich soil. This is why countries along the equatorial zone have the best coffee plantations.

However, as mentioned earlier, location, including altitude, is not the sole criteria governing the quality of coffee. Its flavor as well as its quality is dependent on other factors too, such as the plant variety used, the chemical composition of the soil it is grown in, amount of rainfall experienced in the region and the availability of sunshine.

It is a vital combination of the right mix of these complex components along with the manner in which the cherries are processed post-picking that determines the quality of coffee one receives from a particular region and sets the distinction of coffee obtained from different countries. Sometimes, due to the complex nature of these variables, the coffee obtained from the same plantation may also yield different quality and flavor.

A little known fact about coffee beans is that these are actually berry seed, and very small in size, therefore referred to as cherries. Each berry will typically contain 2 green coffee beans but sometimes these may be mutated. After these berries turn red, it means they are ripe for picking and this is the ideal time for harvesting them, as opposed to ‘strip picking’ which some farmers indulge in to save on labor, but this early picking before coffee berries ripen causes the coffee obtained from them to be of an inferior quality.

However, the time invested in harvesting ripe coffee berries can be considerable, taking up to 7 days or more for a farmer to single-handedly pick coffee for filling a 100-pound bag of beans, by hand. Now, when one thinks of nearly 7 million tons of this brown concentrate, being produced annually, one can well imagine the number of laborers required on coffee plantations to pick enough berries to meet this demand!

Learn more about the History Of Coffee on our Blog.

[http://www.automaticcoffeemachinesguide.com/the-short-history-of-coffee/] You can also find Automatic Coffee Machine Guides and Reviews, plus much more information all about the humble coffee bean!

Author: Martin Salter
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee consumption started in a corner of Ethiopia when a young herder discovered the “magical powers” that red beans from a tree had on his goats when they ate them. Monks from a nearby monastery brewed the first cup of coffee after some trial and error. Over time, consumption of this new beverage spread among the monasteries throughout Ethiopia and to neighboring mosques and Muslim regions where alcohol was not allowed.

Coffee was generally regarded as a luxurious stimulant and its fame spread beyond country borders. Coffee became known as a black beverage that inspired love and loyalty, healed the sick, comforted the exhausted, and allowed long nights of prayer and meditation. Coffee became in high demand from Ethiopia to the great port of Moka (also “Mocha”) on the Red Sea and then to the Gulf of Aden into Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee was cultivated in the Arabian Peninsula which explains why the name for the Arabica coffee became popularized.

Coffee continued to spread to Turkey and to the rest of the Ottoman Empire. It was in the Ottoman Empire where coffee was roasted on bonfires and became famous for its wonderful aroma and color. Coffee drinking became widespread and was adopted as a beverage of choice in Persia, Egypt, Syria and Europe.

It is interesting to note how mystery and claims of magical powers continued to surround coffee to the point that it became an almost sacred substance. Coffee could not be cultivated in Europe as a result of northern climates, temperatures and soil conditions unfavorable to the crop. As a result of being an import, coffee availability was rare and scarce. This happened so much that coffee became a symbol of luxury and the gift of choice for royalty. Without a doubt, this “prestige” made coffee very attractive to people in religious and political spheres of society.

Coffee consumption grew rapidly throughout Europe among nobles, artists, intellectuals, scholars and many more wealthy and powerful people. Coffee houses followed and coffee became synonymous with good service, hospitality and friendship. Coffee eventually made its way to Southeast Asia and to the Americas. Dutch, French and British merchants brought coffee to their plantations in Ceylon, Indonesia, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and to many other countries along East Indies merchant routes. In short, coffee literally went around the world and has become at present the second most traded commodity in the world after petroleum.

When you think of it, that is indeed an awful lot of coffee for everyone! Drinking coffee is a fun and personal activity. Something you can do with friends or by yourself. Millions of people all over the world get their day “started” with a cup of coffee. The brew is served 24×7 just about everywhere you go. But coffee is so much more than just a beverage!

Coffee offers many health benefits and that is a great thing. Remember some of the “magical powers” that legends associated with coffee? Well, it turns out that there is much truth in such “magical powers.”

• Coffee has been the subject of research for decades. Consistently, the results show that coffee is more healthful than harmful. Such statement is based on research findings that take place daily on coffee, caffeine and health around the world in public and private organizations, laboratories, universities and other specialized facilities.
• How does coffee improve the health of your body? It’s the “magic’” in antioxidants and caffeine! Both of these substances have proven health and anti aging benefits.
• Antioxidants help your body repair damage to cells caused by free radicals.
• These free radicals are produced as a by-product of cells through normal daily activities.

Coffee is a delicious and very versatile beverage. Hot or cold. There are more than 69 different flavors to choose from such as Chocolate Coffee; Nut and Crunch Coffee or Hazelnut coffee.

Let’s celebrate the wonders of coffee and get some of that “magic” in us, shall we? Recommendation: A delicious gourmet flavored coffee freshly roasted just for you!

Timothy (“Tim”) S. Collins, the author, is called by those who know him “The Gourmet Coffee Guy.” He is an expert in article writing who has done extensive research online and offline in his area of expertise, coffee marketing, as well as in other areas of personal and professional interest.

Come visit the author’s website: http://www.ourgourmetcoffee.com Also visit: http://www.squidoo.com/coffee-lensography-TheGourmetCoffeeGuy

Copyright – Timothy S. Collins. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Author: Timothy S. Collins
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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