STORING COFFEE AT HOME
Green coffee is a delicate product that does not store well. Once roasted, it is even more fragile. To preserve its flavors as best as possible, there are a few simple measures the consumer should take.
Nonperishable but fragile
Coffee is a “nonperishable” product, which is to say that there is no risk if you consume it after the best-before date, unlike “perishable” goods, which must carry a use-by date that must not be exceeded. After the best-before date (BBD), only the sensory and nutritional qualities of the coffee are no longer guaranteed. Whether the coffee is in the form of beans or ground, the storage advice is identical. However, ground coffee degrades even more quickly because it has a larger surface area in contact with the air, and grinding causes the release of CO2, which acts naturally to preserve the bean (its pressure creates a barrier to the oxygen.
Where to store
Types of package
Coffee packaging has evolved over time with the aim of helping the coffee stay fresh for as long as possible.
SEALED BROWN PAPER OR MULTILAYER BAGS
• THE SIMPLEST AND LEAST EXPENSIVE
• NO VALVE. THEY DO NOT ALLOW THE COFFEE TO DEGAS NATURALLY.
• SHELF LIFE COULD BE BETTER.
BBD NOT STATED
HERMETICALLY SEALED, RESEALABLE BAGS, FITTED WITH A DEPRESSURIZATION VALVE.
• GOOD AT KEEPING COFFEE FRESH
• RESEALABLE
• EXPENSIVE
BBD UP TO 3 MONTHS IN AN UNOPENED BAG. ONCE OPENED, THE COFFEE WILL GO STALE WITHIN A FEW DAYS.
USED BY LARGE ARTISANAL ROASTERS AND/OR INDUSTRIAL-SCALE COMPANIES.
• THE BEST AT KEEPING COFFEE FRESH
• NITROGEN, A NEUTRAL GAS, REPLACES THE OXYGEN THAT CAUSES THE OXIDATION OF OILS
• A DEGASSING VALVE
• SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT AND LOGISTICS REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ROASTER
BBD MUCH LONGER—UP TO A YEAR
VACUUM-SEALED BAGS WITH OR WITHOUT A VALVE
USED MAINLY BY INDUSTRIAL-SCALE COMPANIES
• GOOD AT KEEPING COFFEE FRESH
• SOME OF THE VOLATILE AROMAS ARE SUCKED OUT DURING THE PROCESS.
• NONRESEALABE
BBD UP TO 3 MONTHS IN AN UNOPENED BAG. ONCE OPENED, THE COFFEE WILL GO STALE WITHIN A FEW DAYS.