More than 2 billion cups of coffee are drunk daily in the world. It is not surprising that the line of one of the most popular drinks is constantly expanding and adapting to the needs of modern society. Organic coffee is always on the agenda when it comes to ecology.
How is organic coffee grown?
Organic coffee is grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and no synthetic substances or additives are used throughout the entire production cycle, from roasting to packaging. Coffee trees grow in small plantations, often in the shade, because it is forbidden to cut down the neighboring tropical forests, in addition, it is necessary to plant new seedlings. In this way, bird populations that exterminate pests are preserved. It can be said that growing organic coffee preserves the health of the entire ecosystem: the soil is safe for animals and other plants, and sustainable production does not pollute the environment.
Organic coffee does not have a special variety: it is all the same Arabica and Robusta, just grown in different conditions. Plantations are found in Peru, Mexico, Tanzania, Nepal, Nicaragua, Guatemala, the Hawaiian Islands, and New Guinea.
How does organic coffee taste different from regular coffee?
Due to growing in the shade, organic coffee ripens more slowly and gradually becomes saturated with useful substances. Coffee lovers have not decided whether this affects its taste: someone claims that organic coffee is brighter and richer than regular coffee, while someone does not see the difference.
Differences in breeding and production
Organic coffee production differs from traditional coffee at every stage.
Education. Before the coffee trees are planted, the soil should not come into contact with chemicals for 3 to 5 years.
Only organic fertilizers are allowed. It is forbidden to use synthetic products even for pest control purposes.
Harvesting and processing of strawberries. The fruits are harvested by hand and processed by the dry or wet method, depending on the climate of the country.
Roasting. Organic coffee requires separate roasters that have never roasted inorganic beans before. Precise separation of eco-raw materials is mandatory at all subsequent stages: during storage, transport and packaging.
Aroma enhancers and all kinds of synthetic additives are prohibited in organic coffee production.
Organic coffee packaging must be sustainable and biodegradable.
Organic Decaffeinated Coffee
Organic coffee can also be decaffeinated. The following methods are acceptable for its removal from cereals:
Treatment with carbon dioxide, which acts as a solvent.
Swiss water method: a complex process of soaking the grains and filtering the resulting extract through carbon filters.
Both methods are environmentally friendly, but considered the most expensive, so organic decaffeinated coffee costs more.
How to choose 100% organic coffee? : Expert advice
You can distinguish organic coffee from ordinary coffee with special certificates. To avoid counterfeiting, they are allowed to be obtained only in the country where a particular plantation is located.
USDA Organic - Awarded by the American organization National Organic Program (NOP). This means that no fertilizers and pesticides are used when growing coffee, and all stages of production are tightly controlled.
OCIA - Issued by the international Organic Crop Development Association with regional offices in Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and other countries. It shows that there is no chemistry in the cultivation and production of the product.
Rainforest Alliance - ensures that coffee is grown without harming tropical animals and that labor laws are not violated.
Fair trade - approves favorable working conditions and pays for all workers involved in production.
Bird Friendly - Available only from the Smithsonian Migration Bird Center. However, you will also need a USDA Organic certification first. Also, at least 40% of all planting trees should be grown in the shade - this ensures forest protection and bird population growth. Coffee with such a certificate is the most difficult to find in stores.
The first two certificates are for the quality of the product, the rest are for protecting the environment and conditions suitable for human labor. But in general they are all interconnected. Even if the coffee is only Organic certified, you don't have to worry about the environment.
It is also important that the package is marked as 100% organic. But the Made with Organic label is a marketing gimmick. This article means that there is only at least 70% of organic coffee in such a package.
Of course, due to the nature of production and costs (including certification), organic coffee is much more expensive than regular coffee, but it can also be found on the shelves of popular hypermarkets without fear of fakes.
There is conditionally organic coffee, for example, Ethiopia. It is grown without synthetic fertilizers, because farmers do not have money for them, but often (for the same reason) do not have certificates. However, it is the certificates that guarantee the safety of the product and each of its batches, so without them it is impossible to talk about 100% organic coffee.
Why Organic Coffee Is Separated Needs plar?
So by buying organic coffee, you support farming, participate in rainforest protection, take care of the environment and, of course, your own health. At the same time, it's important to continue to separate eco-grains from non-organic grains as in production, even in your own kitchen. So it is not recommended to prepare organic and "industrial" coffee in the same dish or coffee machine.
However, if you don't feel the difference in taste and you only buy organic coffee to care for the planet's ecology, you won't need to buy a second coffee machine to prepare a separate beverage.
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