Mycotoxins .....What are they?

Mycotoxins What are they? Mouldy coffee beans Mycotoxins1 are naturally occurring chemical compounds produced by certain fungi that pose a threat to humans and animals when ingested. Fungi, like all heterotrophic organisms, need water and certain essential nutrients in order to live. Food crops represent a good source of nutrients for such moulds. As the moulds grow on these food commodities, they produce secondary metabolites, which include mycotoxins. Each mycotoxin is produced by one or more very specific fungal species, and in some cases one species can form more than one mycotoxin (see table below). However, the prescence of a recognised toxin-producing fungus does not automatically imply the presence of the associated toxin as many variables are involved in mycotoxin formation. Conversely, the lack of visible mould is not a guarantee that the foodstuff is free from toxins as the mould may have already died, leaving the toxin intact. The moulds and mycotoxins that are considered to be of major public health and economic significance worldwide are listed in the table below: Mould species Mycotoxins Occurrence Aspergillus parasiticus Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 Maize (corn), groundnuts (peanuts), tree nuts, spices, dried fruit, crude vegetable oils, cottonseed and copra Aspergillus flavus Aflatoxins B1, B2 Fusarium sporotrichiodes T-2 toxin Cereals Fusarium graminearum Deoxynivalenol (DON) Grains, especially wheat, barley, oats, rye and maize. Less often in rice and sorghum Fusarium graminearum Zearalenone Maize, but also lower levels in rice, wheat, barley, malt and soybean Fusarium moniliforme Fumonisin B1 Maize Penicillium verrucosum Ochratoxin A (OTA) Cereals, fresh grapes, dried vine fruit, wine, beer, coffee, cocoa Aspergillus ochraceus Ochratoxin A (OTA) Penicillium expansum Patulin Fresh and processed fruit and vegetables (especially apples) (see FAO, Food and Nutrition Papers 73, 'Manual on the application of the HACCP system in mycotoxin prevention and control', 2001) 1 The term 'mycotoxin' combines the Greek word for fungus ('mykes') and the Latin word for poison ('toxicum'). Pitt (1996) defined mycotoxins as "...fungal metabolites which, when ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin cause lowered performance, sickness or death in man or animals, including birds".

Coffee botany and ecology

	Coffee Production and Trade Coffee botany and ecology Coffee flowering Coffee is a woody, perennial evergreen dicotyledon belonging to the botanical family Rubiaceae, which contains some 500 genera and over 6000 species. Most of these are trees and shrubs which grow in the lower storey of tropical forests. Coffea is by far the most important member of the family economically, of which two species are traded widely: Coffee arabica, referred to as 'arabica', which accounts for between 60% and 70% of world production. Coffea canephora, referred to as 'robusta', which comprises 30% to 40% of world production. Two other species which are grown on a much smaller scale are Coffea liberica ('liberica' coffee) and Coffea dewevrei or Coffea excelsa ('excelsa' coffee), both of which are traded, but to a very limited extent. Arabica: Original arabica strains generally produce good liquors with acidity, and have the greatest flavour and aroma characteristics, but are susceptible to pests and diseases. Resistance is thus a major goal of plant breeding programmes1. A number of more tolerant varieties have been developed over the years, including the well known varieties 'Typica' and 'Bourbon', which are considered to be the first cultivars of arabica. Robusta coffee cherries Many different strains and cultivars have been developed from these, such as 'Caturra', 'Mundo Novo', 'Catuai' and 'Blue Mountain'. Generally speaking, arabica coffee is grown throughout Latin America, in Central and East Africa, in India and, to some extent, in Indonesia. Robusta: The term 'robusta' is actually the name of a widely grown variety of Coffea canephora. It is a small tree (up to 10 metres in height) that can grow at lower altitudes than arabica, with higher yields and with better resistance to disease. The beans, however, are of inferior taste than arabica, and have twice the caffeine content. Robusta coffee commands a lower price on the market, and is often used for soluble coffee or to give a caffeine 'boost' in espresso2. Robusta coffee is grown in West and Central Africa, throughout South-East Asia and to some extent in Brazil, where it is known as 'Conillon'. 1 Including arabica / robusta crosses which aim to improve arabica by conferring disease resistance and vigour, or to improve on the cup quality of robusta. The 'Catimor' variety is a cross between Caturra and Hibrido de Timor (a natural arabica / robusta hybrid), and is resistant to coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix). 2 The distinction between arabica and robusta coffee has become more blurred in recent years. Steam cleaning technologies can improve the quality of robusta coffee, allowing it to be substituted for arabica in some markets, notably Germany.

Chocolate Bar Manufacturing - Conching & Tempering

Chocolate Bar Manufacturing

Conching & Tempering

Once the beans are processed into chocolate liquor and cocoa butter, the manufacturing of finished products can begin. To make chocolate bars, chocolate liquor and cocoa butter are blended with other ingredients such as sugar, vanilla, and milk (for milk chocolate). These ingredients are then refined. For Equal Exchange chocolate bars, this means the particle size of the ingredients is refined to such a small size that they cannot be felt by the human tongue, giving the chocolate much of its smooth texture. This mixture is then "conched," or mixed and aerated at high temperatures. This process thoroughly blends the ingredients, taking out some of the acidity of the cacao and further developing the flavors that will appear in the final bar.

Traditionally, conching has been an extended process of mixing the ingredients for long periods of time, often for days. It is now common for companies to use soy lecithin, an emulsifier, to help blend the ingredients, allowing them to drastically cut down on conching time and costs. We are proud to say that Equal Exchange does not use soy lecithin in any of our products. Instead, our bars are crafted using extended conching for a period of 24-72 hours depending on the bar. It is our belief that this method creates a superior chocolate that is both incredibly smooth and full of well balanced flavors.

After the conching is complete, the chocolate is then "tempered" through a slow, stepped decrease in temperature. During this process, the chocolate is cooled and then warmed, then cooled further and warmed once again, and so on until it reaches the correct temperature, creating an even crystallization of the ingredients throughout the chocolate. If done well, tempering is what gives the chocolate its smooth texture and snap when broken in two.

Molding After the chocolate is properly tempered, it is ready for additional ingredient inclusions such as almonds, coffee beans, or cocoa nibs. The chocolate is then poured into molds, which form the shape of the bar. The chocolate cools until it becomes solid and is then removed from the molds as chocolate bars.
Labeling Once the bars are cooled, they are wrapped in their inner wrapper to keep the chocolate fresh for 12-24 months. They are then labeled, packed in cases and stacked on pallets ready to be shipped to and to be eaten!

Costa Rican Coffee Types

COSTA RICA COFFEE TYPES

Costa Rican Coffee Types

Not all Costa Rican Coffee is born equal!

Listed in order of coffee quality, the different type of coffee's that are produced in Costa Rica's coffee regions. Our coffee plantation is in the Tarazu region where we select only the finest beans from our organic, shade grown coffee plants. Tarazu is ...recognized world wide as the finest in Costa Rica ( and maybe even the world) and Coffee de Costa Rica is the finest and freshest of Tarazu!

1) - CAFE ATARAZU:
This bean comes from the volcanic mountains of Dota off the Great Mountain Range named "Talamanca" a range with rocky ladders and fertile valleys. This area is known as "Los Santos"(The Saints), where the catholic tradition of the country has obligated its town and cities to adopt biblical names. The devotion of its people to their beliefs, gives the coffee crops they offer, a unique taste of divine inspiration. Its taste in the cup has a very good body, exquisite aroma and excellent acidity. These characteristic are very well liked by Europeans, Americans and Japanese gourmet coffee drinkers.
Zone: Tarrazu
Harvest: November through February.
Type: Strictly Hard Bean(SHB).
Altitude: 1200 - 1750 meters.

2) - CAFE ZURQUI
This coffee is cropped in one of the oldest plantation areas due to kindness of the soil and the excellent bean quality that it produces. On the slopes of the Zurqui Hilla, close to the central Volcano Range, this beautiful, fertile, and quiet province, with a taste of the good old times, is where this unique coffee with high acidity, very good body and aroma, is produced.
Zone: Heredia
Harvest: November through February.
Type: Strictly Hard Bean(SHB).
Altitude: 1200 - 1500 meters.

3) - CAFE LA CARPINTERA:
La Carpintera Hill, resembling and island in the middle of the Central Valley, captures the goodness of the climate from the plateful, with the conditions of the highlands. These characteristic are unique for producing quality coffee. Its soil is extremely fertile. A pleasant climate all the year round with un excellent temperature for the coffee cropping, brings to the cup an exquisite balance between body, aroma and acidity.
Zone: Tres Rios
Harvest: November through February.
Type: Strictly Hard Bean(SHB).
Altitude: 1200 - 1400 meters.

4) - CAFE UJARRACI
This coffee, grown on a beautiful landscape, a fertile valley an a lake with crystal clear waters, near the paradise zone of Cachi in the Reventazon River Basin. All these surroundings give us the feeling of an enormous garden. This fertile land of colonial beauty, offers an exquisite coffee. The influence of the Atlantic's climate and the characteristics of the valley it self make this coffee unique.
Zone: Cachi
Harvest: October through December.
Type: High Grown Atlantic(HGA).
Altitude: 900 - 1200 meters.

5) - CAFE EL GRAN VITO
In 1941. a colony of italian immigrants decide to try and make fortune with their bare hands by colonizing this far land of the country. Today this city still posses the influence of those first settlers and their strong character and appraisal for the goodness of the land. This coffee can be tasted in the coffee cropped by these people, a unique string taste, but at the same time it is light and grateful, like the mountains and forest that surround this city.
Zone: Coto Brus
Harvest: October through December.
Type: Medium Hard Bean(MHB).
Altitude: 800 - 1200 meters.

6) - CAFE BUENA VISTA
An old story tells "...One who drinks the water of the General(General River), stays forever living in the Valle del General(General's River Valley)". This valley is surrounded by the most impressive mountains in Costa Rica. If there is a place in the whole country that symbolizes the exact words of the Costarrican National Anthem, referring to peace and work, it's San Isidro, the main city of the valley. Its coffee invites us to very hard working people. A city developed by very humble, but prideful peasants, has made this place one of the fastest growing in both agricultural productions and economical levels. With an average temperature of 24 centigrade, this last frontier, conquered by barefooted peasants, satisfies us with a coffee with good aroma and body, and a delightful acidity in its cup.
Zone: San Isidro del General
Harvest: October through December.
Type: Medium Hard Bean(MHB).
Altitude: 400 - 1200 meters.

Blending and roasting

Blending and roasting 


Blending
In order to achieve a good espresso, the blending stage is surely of fundamental importance. For a proper blending of coffee, several aspects of the raw material must be taken into account: if we are handling Arabica or Robusta, washed or natural coffees, South American, African or Asian beans, their percentage and obviously the quality of green coffee.


Roasting
 The magical “green gold” is heated inside the roasting machine at a temperature ranging from 200 to 230°C. This must be done in a very consistent way, in order to guarantee a homogenous product.

During the roasting process, the beans lose their weight by 18 to 20%, depending on the coffee origin, and increase their volume by even 60%. There is then the formation of the aromas in the coffee, which are several hundreds. The texture of the bean changes from hard to rather crumbly and oils start to appear on their surface. The colour of the beans can change according to the temperature achieved: the more they are roasted (risking to burn the coffee), the darker they will be and the more bitter they will taste.

The more rapidly the beans are cooled off, the better the aromas will be preserved. The whole process can vary in duration, depending on the kind of roasting chosen. On average, it should last about 15 minutes, although an expert roaster can decide to choose the “right moment” to end the cycle, even by the “music” produced by the beans. 

Puerto Rico begins coffee exports to Japan

Puerto Rico begins coffee exports to Japan

The Puerto Rican coffee industry, hurt by labor shortages, low prices and last year's Hurricane Hugo, finally has something to cheer about: the beginning of coffee exports to Japan.

The transaction, announced in early January, involves

Lares coffee grower Neftali Soto and Japan's largest coffee distributor, the Tokyo-based Ueshima Coffee Corp. Soto will initially sell 40,000 pounds (400 quintales) of premium coffee beans to Ueshima under the Alta Grande label.

Robert Ruenitz, a representative of Nipuspan International Corp., formed for this specific venture, declined to put a dollar value on the transaction, saying financial details were private. However, a similar gourmet label, Jamaica's Blue Mountain coffee, retails for $22 a pound in New York and considerably more in Tokyo. That would put the retail value of the initial shipment of Puerto Rican coffee, being marketed under the Alto Grande label, at around $900,000.

"The market for premium coffee in Japan is very sophisticated," he said. "Ueshima is after good coffee wherever they can find it. They search every corner of the world. Where it will go in the Japanese market is really a matter of how the Japanese consumer reacts."

The president of Nipuspan, Dennis Evans, lives in Vega Baja, as does its vice president of operations, Jose Texidor Colon.

According to Alfonso Davila, the No. 2 man at Puerto Rico's Department of Agriculture, "Our policy is to open new foreign markets for quality coffee exports." Davila predicts the island will be self-sufficient in coffee production within five to 10 years.

Peru's coffee exports takes a loss.

Peru's coffee exports takes a loss.

PERU -- A substantial increase in Peru's coffee production over the past years can be seen when the 81,000 lbs. produced in 1990, are compared to the 350,000 lbs. produced in 2006.

Due to its trade value, Peru's coffee is considered important inthe country's economy. President of Peru's Chamber of Coffee and Cocoa, Luis Navarro Vascones, reported that last year alone, coffee exports amounted to $513 million. He also reported that coffee production is the main agricultural activity in the high jungle, where it supports 150,000 families, which cultivate it for a living.

Amid all of the positive reports, The president of Peru's National Coffee Assembly (JNC), Cesar Rivas Pena, has stated that production level is highly at risk, due to the fact that the plants, which account for the massive production of coffee in Peru, is old.

Rivas Pena stated that financial help was needed so the old plants could progressively be replaced. He added that Peru's coffee industry would suffer a 460 million sole loss due to the old plants.

Pena added that another problem was that producing cocoa plants was easier and much more profitable for farmers than producing coffee, due the frailty of the plant.

A meeting has been scheduled with Peru's Ministry of Agriculture to try and solve the problem. Pena stated that a prepared plan will be presented, at which time help in replacing the old plants will also be requested.

Jose Luis Camino, the main advisor for the Ministry of Agriculture has stated that the Ministry is willing to help, acknowledging that coffee is an important export in Peru.

What is cupping?

What is cupping?
Cupping is the industry term used for the process of analyzing a coffee based on its sensory qualities – for example, its aromas and flavors. For our cuppings at Equal Exchange, roasted samples of coffee are divided into six different glasses of equal amount and grind size, steeped with hot water (198 to 205 degrees), and slurped (or aspirated) from a spoon for about 35 minutes.


Aspiration is the process of slurping a beverage across the tongue with force, in a way that introduces air into the mouth and sprays the beverage across all parts of the tongue rapidly. If you've ever heard or seen a wine expert doing a tasting, this is the same method they use. Aspiration also forces the coffee’s aromatics up from the back of the throat to the olfactory bulb (a part of our brain that sits behind our eyes and is responsible for processing scent). Everything we taste is affected by its aromatics, making flavor and aroma intrinsically linked. Each coffee is graded based on the quality of their aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, acidity, balance, cleanliness and aftertaste.

Aroma
The olfactory bulb is the part of our brain that processes scent. Aromas reach the nerves of the olfactory bulb via two routes: 1) through the nose, nasally, and 2) through aromas rising up to the bulb from the back of the throat, what we refer to as retronasally.

In cupping, we analyze aromas in three different stages.

• The dry stage: when we smell the dry, ground, roasted coffee in the cup.
• The crust stage: when we smell the "cap," of the coffee as it is steeping.
• The break: when we break the cap after four minutes of steeping and smell the release of the aromatics that were trapped underneath the cap.

Flavor
It may be surprising to find out that there are only five basic flavors: sweet, sour, salt, bitter, and umami. You’ve probably heard of the first four. “Umami” was only recently identified as the fifth flavor; we won’t focus on this one in the manual. (All other flavor sensations beyond these five are actually aromatics.)

• Sweet. This one is pretty familiar - think of sugar.
• Salt. Think of the way table salt tastes.
• Sour.Think of lemon or vinegar.
• Bitter. Think about baking cocoa, tea that has steeped too long, or aspirin.

Coffee can, and often does, exhibit all of these flavors, and part of the joy of cupping is how they interplay on your pallet.

Acidity
Acidity is best described as the bright and zesty sensation found in coffee. It can range in intensity from low (gentle) to high (striking), depending on the origin, cultivation, processing and roasting of the beans. Important to note is that the acidity described in coffee is actually "perceived acidity" and is not related to the pH of the coffee itself; coffee has a pH of 5.7, which is similar to white rice or beer (a pH of 7 is neutral).

Beyond the intensity of the perceived acidity in coffee, there are also several different types of acids present that we pay special attention to:

• acetic acid (like vinegar)
• citric acid (like lemon and other citrus fruits)
• malic acid (like apples)
• quinic acid (which is slightly bitter, like the quinine in tonic water)
• phosphoric acid (like carbonated beverages or cola)
• lactic acid (like the sour flavors in dairy products - sour cream for instance)

Mouthfeel
Mouthfeel can be described as the perceived thickness of the coffee on our pallets. Thin coffees have low mouthfeel, and thick coffees have high mouthfeel. Imagine for a minute the difference in thickness from skim milk to whole milk, or from light maple syrup to molasses. When we grade coffees, we grade based on both the quality of the mouthfeel and its intensity. Some coffees can have high mouthfeel, but may also be gritty and granulated. Likewise, some low mouthfeel coffees can be very smooth and satiny.

Cleanliness
Cleanliness in cupping can be described as the absence of defects and inconsistencies in a coffee sample. If the coffee was processed correctly it should have a refined taste. Some of the defects that may be found in coffees are over-fermentation (of fruit flavors), phenolic (chlorine-like flavors), Rio (iodine-like flavors), earthy flavors (like dirt or soil), and many others. Some defects are so intense that just one defective bean can negatively affect the flavor of an entire pot of coffee.

Balance
This is, quite simply, how well the coffee’s different attributes intermingle. Is one aspect of the coffee too intense, like acidity? Or does the sweetness of the coffee blend well with the mouthfeel? After focusing on each individual attribute of the coffee during cupping, the balance category can be helpful for getting a cupper to look at the coffee as a whole.

Aftertaste
Aftertaste is a little easier to understand than acidity or mouthfeel. Essentially we focus on the qualities and flavors left on our pallets after the coffee has either been spit out or swallowed. Is the aftertaste similar to the flavor of the coffee when it was on your pallet? Has it gotten sweeter or bitterer? Is it prolonged or does it slip away?

Production Cupping
Beyond being responsible for analyzing the coffees we are looking to import, our Quality Control (QC) team does many other things to make sure that our coffee is of the highest quality. Production cuppings are an important aspect of the day-to-day in the QC lab. Every day the QC team joins forces with members from the roasting team to cup all of the production roasts from the day before. In doing so, we know how our coffees taste over time, we are able to check for problems with the beans themselves, and we are able to easily keep track of how the beans are roasting. From the time we start roasting a lot of coffee (one lot equals 37,500 pounds), to the time we roast the last batch, we will have cupped that coffee upwards of 100 times.

Tanzania produces between 30-40,000 metric tons of coffee per year (70% Arabica, 30% Robusta).

Tanzania produces between 30-40,000 metric tons of coffee per year (70% Arabica, 30% Robusta). The three main Arabica growing regions are in the North/Kilimanjaro, Mbeya and the Matengo Highlands (Mbinga). Other Arabica areas include the Usambara Mountains, Iringa, Morogoro, Kigoma and Ngara. Robusta coffee is grown mainly in the Kagera region around Bukoba.
More than 90% of Tanzania's coffee is produced by 400,000 smallholder farmers. Larger estates are found in Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Mbeya regions.
The harvesting season in Tanzania usually lasts from July to December, though slightly earlier in the case of Mbeya. Green coffee is sold either through the Moshi auction or direct to buyers. Coffee is shipped to buyers out of the major ports of Dar es Salaam and Tanga.
 

On the Slopes of Africa's Highest Mountain Small Farmers Grow Africa's Finest Coffee

On the Slopes of Africa's Highest Mountain Small Farmers Grow Africa's Finest Coffee

The Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union, Africa's oldest coffee cooperative, was founded in 1924 as a marketing organization for the indigenous farmers of the Chagga tribe living on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain. Along with all of Tanzania's coffee cooperatives, KNCU was abolished by the government in 1976, but then reinstated in 1984. At this stage, law required that all coffee farmers belong to a cooperative in order to sell their crops. In 1991, Tanzania introduced a new Cooperative Act under which the co-ops became voluntary membership organizations.

Today, KNCU has about 80,000 members from 90 local co-ops. Their smooth, mild beans, considered to be among the finest in Africa, are used in our Tanzanian AA.

"The people of Mount Kilimanjaro are very development-oriented. As I look to the future, a better income from coffee will mean better schools, dispensaries and roads. Buying from KNCU means you get the fine quality you need, and the farmer gets the best return."

— Tobias Ndakidemi, Former Chairman,