Plantation Crops

Processing in coffee for parchment and cherry coffee preparation

Coffee is processed by two methods viz.,

1) Wet method – to prepare plantation or parchment coffee.
2) Dry method – to obtain cherry coffee.

Wet Processing in coffee

• It is for the preparation of plantation or parchment coffee which is preferred in the market.
• Wet processing involves the following steps;
1) Collection of ripe berries

• For both types of processing picking of fruits at correct stage of ripening (just ripe berries – on gentle sqeezing the fruit, beans inside pop up easily and the colour of berries changes to red or crimson) is essential. Just ripe berries are ideal for pulping, to prepare parchment coffee.
• Over ripe or under ripe berries results in poor cup quality on processing. If harvesting could not be done in time the over ripe, under ripe and green coffee should be sorted separately and processed for cherry coffee.
2) Pulping
Removal of outer skin of ripe berries by soaking in water. Pulp the ripe berries on the same day to avoid fermentation before pulping.
3) Demucillaging and washing :

Demucillaging can be done by

a) Natural fermentation : Arabica = 24 to 36 hours

Robust => 72 hours because of thicker mucillage

Overfermentation = Leads to foxy beans
Under fermentation = Sticky mucilage is left out = Leads to absorption of moisture by beans = Mistiness.
Proper fermentation = Mucillage come out easily beans when squeezed by hand.

b) Enzymatic fermentation = Pectinolytinc enzymes can be used.

c) Chemical demucillaging : Treatment with Alkaly. Here 10 % solution of Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide) is used.

d) Removal of mucilage by friction:

4) Washing
Washing in clean water after soaking for 24 hours (overnight) = Improves quality and appearance.
5) Drying
Seeds spread on the mats in the open for drying.
6) Hulling
Removal of outer coer like epicotyl and parchment along with testa. The brittle, dry husklike parchment (endocarp) is removed by machines and the sliver skin is removed by polishing.
7) Polishing
Removal of adhering testa
8) Sorting
9) Bagging
Coffee beans readily absorb foreign taints (Blemish) and odours and hence, suitable care should be taken.


Dry method of Processing- to obtain cherry coffee.

1) Harvesting of ripe berries
2) Drying:
Drying of ripe berries for 12 to 15 days in bright sun until rattling sound is heard when shaken. Drying usually takes 12 to 15 days with intemittant stiring (Hourly in the beginning)
3) Bagging:
The greenish grey seeds are graded and are then usually packed for export purposes.
4) Roasting:
The coffee beans are roasted at 500 º F or 270 º C for 5 minutes.The roasted coffee beans have 0.5 to 1.50 per cent caffeine.
5) Grinding
Grinding of roasted beans is the last step in the preparation of coffee powder.