A capsule coffee: one portion single dose of ground coffee, sealed with approx 5-7 grams of product. Just insert it into the machine and, in a few seconds, we get a creamy espresso And aromatic. It is difficult to distinguish the difference compared to a coffee served at a bar.
But where does the coffee used in the capsules come from? And how are they made? In this article we follow the path that coffee beans take, from plantations to industrial plants.
Where does capsule coffee come from?
The journey of the coffee contained in the capsules begins far away: in the countries located between the two tropics, within what is called “coffee belt“. These areas, such as Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia and Ethiopia, offer ideal climatic conditions for the cultivation of delicate coffee plants: the plant in fact prefers humid climates and constant temperatures above 15°Cbut which do not exceed 30°C.
Coffee crops and drupe harvesting
The most cultivated plant varieties are mainly two: Arabicavery precious and delicate and Robustwhich as the name itself suggests, is more resistant.
The coffee plant produces a fruit, the botanical term for which is drupawhich after approx 9 months reaches maturity: it becomes red, slightly smaller than a cherry. The fruit is therefore ready to be harvest: this operation is done mechanically or manually, if the beans are particularly valuable. In this way it is possible to select the drupes one by one based on the degree of maturity.
Drying and shipping to the roasting plant
After harvesting, the next step is to obtain the coffee bean, which is obtained by removing the drupe pulp. Easier said than done, because even in this case, they are there different methods, which influence the final flavor in the cup. In the most common method, it is done dry the fruit in the sun for 4 weeks and then yes removes mechanically the pulp. In this way, the pulp remains in contact with the grain for a long time, which absorbs the sugars. The final taste in the cup will be fruitier and sweeter.
In the so-called “lavato” first part of the pulp is removed, then the remaining part with the grain is immersed in tanks of water for three days, where fermentation takes place. Here the pulp is completely detached from the beans, which are left to dry in the sun for about ten days.
Once dried, the coffee beans – still green and unroasted – are ready to be shipped to roasters.
How coffee capsules are produced: the industrial processing phases
Once they arrive at the factory, the beans are mainly subjected to three steps: the roastingthe grinding and the packaging. We followed these phases closely during a visit to the Kimbo factory in Melito di Napoli, and in our video you can see the machinery and processes used.
Roasting and degassing
Once the bean reaches the factory, it is collected in large silos. The first step of processing is the roasting.
In fact, it is precisely with roasting that the coffee releases all its aromas and takes on its characteristic dark brown colour, thanks to the Maillard reaction. We dedicated an episode of podcasts to this chemical process, at the basis of the preparation of many foods, such as meat.
As you can see from the video, for the roasting gods are exploited software which allow you to set the roasting profile ideal for every variety of coffee, depending on the aromatic result desired.
After this process, there is the so-called phase degassing: the beans are allowed to cool and release all the CO2 developed during roasting.
Grinding and packaging
After roasting, the coffee continues to release aromas and contact with them should be avoided as much as possible oxygen and humidity. For this reason, all manufacturing processes take place in sealed environments and protected from light and oxygen. In fact, the beans travel inside the factory piping through a suction system that exploits the vacuum effect.
In this way, the beans reach the dining room grinding. In the video, we show you the machinery used, which has three levels of knurled millstones and as the beans go down they are ground. At this stage, it is essential to follow precise steps grain size parametersbecause, depending on the grinding level, the extraction phase and in particular the interaction between water and coffee can be influenced.
At this point, the grinding is ready, we proceed with the‘packaging. In the video, we show you the room where the process takes place encapsulation, which comes under glass cases, where there is no air but only nitrogen. The product is finally sealed and boxed, ready for sale.
As we have seen, the final flavor of capsule coffee is influenced by many factors, from plantations to final processing. But there is one last thing to underline: we said that contact between oxygen and coffee beans should be avoided, because this compromises the aromatic profile of the beans.
Here, this is a typical problem that occurs for example with moka grounds: every time it is opened to prepare a coffee, it progressively loses its aromas. This does not occur with capsules which, being single dosethey are not opened and closed and allow you to maintain a intense aroma. And now, it’s time to prepare a good coffee!
