LOS BAŇOS, Laguna – Researchers at the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) have devised a local electronic prototype unit of a coffee moisture meter using a capacitive sensor oscillator circuit for both green coffee beans and coffee parchments.
In a release on Monday, PhilMech said the coffee moisture meter project was funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) here.
PCAARRD researchers claimed that the electronic device is simple, inexpensive yet accurate coffee moisture meter for green coffee beans and coffee parchment.
Engr. Arlene C. Joaquin led the PhilMech research team in partnership with a local electronics company in developing the coffee moisture meter prototype.
Joaquin, in their alternative technology project report, indicated that the prototype moisture meter is sufficiently accurate for three coffee varieties: coffea arabica, coffea liberica, and coffea canephora.
The research team conducted their calibration experiments and validation tests at the PhilMech, Nueva Ecija, and the technical equipment is expected to benefit coffee farmers, buyers, and processors who no longer employ the “traditional, subjective, slow, destructive, and costly way” of moisture content measurement.
PCAARRD said it is important to know the amount of moisture content in coffee parchment and beans to maintain high cupping quality. Cupping is the process of tasting and assessing coffee quality, akin to wine tasting.
Green coffee bean with high moisture content or greater than 12 percent wet basis can deteriorate due to bacteria, mold, and yeast.
On the other hand, coffee beans with less than nine percent moisture will shrink and become distorted, making them appear as low-quality beans.
To ensure the best quality in coffee, monitoring its moisture content at all times after it is dried is necessary to command a better price at the time of sale. (DOST-PCAARRD/PNA)
