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Roasted coffee
Cleaning
After harvesting, the coffee beans are transported to the factory. After the arrival, the coffee beans are cleaned. Stones, dust and other foreign particles are removed. The coffee beans can be stored in silos for several days.Mixing
The taste of the coffee beans depends on the quality of the ground, the weather, the moment of picking etcetera. To keep the quality of the coffee as constant as possible, beans of different batches are mixed.Roasting
After mixing, the beans are roasted for 1,5 to 10 minutes. The beans are exposed, by direct or indirect heat, to temperatures from 100ºC in the beginning of the process, to 200-260ºC at the end of the process. The effect of heating is increased by roasting at lowed pressures. There are five methods of roasting the beans:- Drum roasting: continuous or discontinuous processing are both possible. The drum itself or a stirrer tumbles the beans in the drum. Hot air of 400-550ºC is added. The process takes 8,5-20 minutes.
- Centrifugal roasting: discontinuous process. The drum is turning around a vertical axis. Heat exchange is possible through a closed wall (air temperature is 480-550ºC, the process takes 3-6 minutes) or addition of hot air through a perforated wall (air temperature of 280ºC, this process takes 1,5-2 minutes).
- Jet roasting: possible in continuous and discontinuous process. Several tubes are put in a layer of coffee beans. Hot air is blown through the tubes, and moves the product. The air temperature is 260-300ºC, the process takes 3-6 minutes.
- Fluid-bed-roasting: possible in continuous and discontinuous process.
- Stationary: hot air is blown through a layer of beans, the product moves, air temperature is 260-300ºC and the process takes 5 minutes.
- Pneumatic movement: hot air is pressed through the layer of beans with pneumatic movement. Air temperature is 230-360ºC, process duration is 1,5-20 minutes, depending on the temperature of air.
- Shake roasting: semi continuous process. A layer of beans is put on a floor with open parts. Through the holes hot air of 240-270ºC is blown, and shakes the beans on the floor. This process takes 5 minutes.
- Water evaporates from the bean. During evaporating the intern pressure in the bean increases and the volume of the bean doubles
- The skin of the bean is released and falls off
- The colour of the bean changes from yellow green to dark brown
- Depending on the temperature oil steps out
- Due to chemical reactions the specific coffee aroma is developed. More than 800 aroma components are identified with the help of a gas chromatograph.
- A coffee bean contains 1-2% carbon dioxide and some carbonmonoxide. Depending on the temperature these gases release
- Due to the loss of water the bean looses 11 to 20% of its weight