ENDOCARP ANALYSIS OF A TRADITIONAL VARIETY OF COLOMBIAN COFFEE

Abstract

 This article presents the main results of thermal analytical and drying tests applied to the endocarp of coffee bean samples, in order to analyze their influence on the coffee dehydration process. An infrared analysis, as well as TGA, DTGA and DSC tests, were applied to the parchment of a sample of Castilla variety coffee beans and later compared with similar tests performed on coffee beans of the same variety, upon parchment removal. For analytical tests, the main thermogravimetric transitions are reported up to a temperature of 1000 °C. From thermograms, four temperature range were identified for parchment, with their respective mass loss: 33-33.7°C, 9.48%; 33.7-251.2°C, 16.23%; 251.2-358°C, 47.48%; and 358-800°C, 15.52%. The greatest mass loss was due to cellulose and hemicellulose degradation. The study was complemented by drying experiments on samples of beans with and without parchment. The diffusion coefficients were found using Fick’s second law and metaheuristic optimization methods (global optimization). On average, the diffusion coefficient of grains without endocarp is 46% greater than that of beans dried with the parchment. Coffee beans with parchment took, on average, 50% more time to reaching moisture levels of 12% (on dry basis). The results are considered important for the projection and design of new coffee drying systems and their automatic control.