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Coffee

Coffee
#redirect
#redirect : Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta #redirect : Magnoliopsida #redirect : Rubiales #redirect : Rubiaceae #redirect : Coffea
Species
Coffea arabica Coffea benghalensis Coffea canephora = C. robusta Coffea congensis Coffea liberica Coffea stenophylla
Ref: ITIS 35189 2003-01-03

This article discusses the coffee plant; for information on the beverage see coffee (drink).

Coffee is a tree of genus Coffea; its seeds; and a stimulating beverage prepared from those seeds. Coffee is widely cultivated in tropical countries in plantations for export to temperate countries. Coffee ranks as one of the world's major commodity crops and is a major export of some countries.

Table of contents

1 Botany 2 Processing 2.1 Problems of maintaining quality during bean production 2.2 The economics of growing coffee 3 History 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Botany

There are several species of Coffea that may be grown for coffee, but Coffea arabica is considered to have the best quality. The other species (primarily Coffea robusta) are grown on land unsuitable for Coffea arabica. The tree produces red or purple fruits (drupes), which contain two seeds, popularly called the "coffee beans" or "coffee berries" though coffee is not a true bean. A few varieties produce one seed, and are called "peaberry" varieties.

The coffee tree will grow fruits after 3--5 years, for about 50-60 years. The blossom of the coffee tree is similar to jasmine in color and smell. The fruit takes about nine months to ripen. Worldwide, an estimate of 15 billion coffee trees is grown on 100,000 km² land.

Processing

After picking, the coffee beans are pulped (usually using a mechanical pulper) to remove the bulk of the soft flesh, and then the beans are fermented (by one of several means most often wet fermentation in water for 10 to 36 hours), then washed (to remove the last of the sticky mucilage not removed by fermentation) and dried (usually in the sun). This process is time-consuming, expensive and, for most growers, labour-intensive. Coffee at this stage is known as milled beans.

Once the raw coffee beans arrive in their destination country, they are roasted. This darkens their color and, depending on the degree of roasting, alters the internal chemistry of the beans and therefore their flavor and aroma. Then the beans are ground. For consistency of the taste of a single brand, eight or more types of beans are mixed.

Problems of maintaining quality during bean production

Commercial operators come under a variety of pressures to cut costs and maximise yield. Arguably the best flavours will be produced when the coffee is grown in organic conditions. Some people who grow organically do so primarily to obtain the premium prices organic beans command, an alternative strategy to increase profits.

The economics of growing coffee

It is estimated that 10 million people are working on plantations in the source lands of coffee. A single worker can harvest 50--100 kg of fruits per day, which results in 10--20 kg of raw coffee. Crops from Brazil and Colombia comprise 40% of the worldwide coffee production. As of 1998, the world's coffee production equals about 100 million sacks of coffee.

History

By the 18th century, the beverage had become popular in Europe, and European colonists had introduced coffee to tropical countries worldwide as a plantation crop to supply domestic demand. During the 19th century, European demand for coffee was so strong that when genuine coffee beans were scarce, people developed similar-tasting substitutes from various roasted vegetable substances, such as chicory root, dandelion root, acorns, or figs. For example, the British used acorns as a coffee substitute during World War II while German U-boats blockaded Britain.

The major coffee-producing countries are Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico, and India, but coffee is grown in over 70 countries (2003 USDA and ICO data). Major importers are United States, Germany, Japan, France, Italy, and Spain (2002 USDA data), and per-capita consumers of coffee are Finland (11 kg), Denmark (9.7 kg), Norway (9.5 kg), Sweden (8.6 kg), and Austria (7.8 kg). The United States while being the largest importing country, only ranks 16th (4.1 kg) in per-capita consumption (2001 USDA data).

See also

• Coffee (drink)
• Kopi Luwak

• Coffea arabica by James A. Duke - detailed information about this species.
• Wisborg, Kirsten et al.: Maternal consumption of coffee during pregnancy and stillbirth and infant death in first year of life: prospective study. British Medical Journal 2003;326:420 (22 February). Online copy.
• Excellent article about the nutritional needs of coffee plants (written by an expert in Hawaii). [1]
• University of Hawaii spreadsheets dealing with costs of production including those of coffee growing in Hawaii. [1]
• Farmers Bookshelf guide to coffee growing and processing in Hawaii. [1]

• Coffee Forums offers open discussion about coffee, the beans, machines and effects.
• United States Department of Agricultute - Foreign Agriculture Service is a valuable source of coffee (and other commodities) production and consumption data.

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