BelSU scientists propose innovative technology for coffee industry

Only a few enterprises are currntly producing coffee roasting units in our country.

At the request of a BelSU industrial partner the Znak Coffee Trading House, LLC, a team of developers from the University, led by Ivan Nikulin, PhD in Physics and Mathematics and Head of the BelSU Laboratory of Physicochemical Methods for Plant Research, initiated a project to improve equipment and better fermentation technology. Following the research and experimental work conducted, the team modernized the company’s roasting line, created a coffee husk burner, and developed a post-fermentation technology, basic for the fermenter unit the team I going to develop in the nearest future. Work is currently underway to improve other nodes of the production chain.

The university researchers proposed an innovative solution to optimize production processes and improve product quality, which includes the technology of coffee bean fermentation by unique microbiological strains. Microbiologists from Belgorod State University also make part of the project team. They created bacterial starters that provide all requirements needed for the fermentation process.

The research conducted proves that the use of microbiological strains in coffee bean fermentation improves the flavor characteristics of coffee.

According to researchers and developers, the final result they anticipate will include overall improving the profitability of production by cost reduction while producing a high-quality product. As Ivan Nikulin explained, farms growing coffee in different countries yield products of varying quality. To increase its final cost they need to improve its quality. That is why coffee producers employ fermentation, which South American farmers are particularly renowned for. In coffee-consuming countries, it affects the price for green coffee, increasing the cost of both raw materials or green beans and the final product or roasted coffee.

‘The technological process that we proposed and the modernization of coffee fermentation equipment will let domestic producers use cheaper raw materials and bring them up to the required characteristics. This will lead to a decrease in the cost of production, thereby increasing the profit of the enterprise,’ explained Ivan Nikulin.

According to experts, today the consumption of roasted grain coffee in Russia and neighbouring countries is 73.35 thousand tons. The fermentation process developed by Belgorod University scientists allows increasing the cost of the original green beans approximately to $20 per kilo, depending on the type of microorganisms used for fermentation, the quality of the raw materials and other factors. Implementation of the project developed at Belgorod State University may result in the rise of the profit from the green coffee supplied to Russia and neighbouring countries up to more than $730 million per year. The scientists are now continuing their work on improving and automating the fermentation process.