The coffee harvesting or harvesting process is one of the stages that have the most influence on obtaining a product of high physical, chemical, and sensorial quality.
In countries with irregular topography, coffee is collected mainly manually and on several occasions or passes depending on the concentration of the maturity of the harvest, which can range from 4 to 10 passes.
Each pass has variability in the amount of mature coffee as a concentration of the ripe fruits, for this reason the CEREZOMETRO is very useful to define actions such as selection and methods of benefit by characterizing the raw material.
CEREZOMETRO® coffee batch characterizer | Credits: Darveris Rivas.
What is cerezometro?
The coffee batch characterizer, also known as CEREZOMETRO (a literal translation from Spanish would be coffee cherry-meter), is a method developed from the work of Ph.D. Mario Fernández Senior Director of Technical Services of the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) and Degree in Chemistry Darveris Rivas CAFEYCIENCIA Researcher at the Universidad de Los Andes Venezuela, for the optimization of characteristics that make it functional, light, washable, flexible, resistant and with a good contrast color for decision-making.
The CEREZOMETRO is a tool that allows improving the harvesting processes and selection of lots of coffee cherry through a random and representative sample of the harvested lot, likewise, it determines a target lot from an optimal maturity range represented in the maturity scale that is placed on the characterizer.
This equipment, as a secondary function, can be used as a tool for control and payment of premiums to the collectors objectively, evaluating their collection and establishing parameters on the farm for quality premium payments.
Coffee cherries on the CEREZOMETRO® | Credits: Darveris Rivas.
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How to use cerezometro?
The method is based on a percentage analysis since it is made up of 100 holes and each hole represents 1%. For more detailed statistical management, three measurements can be taken from the batch.
The quality goal is a percentage of cherries greater than 95% of the target range following the following steps:
1. Form a maturation scale with 10 cherries in the elongated hole to establish the maturation range of the target lot.
2. Using the refractometer the optimum point of maturation of the curve will be determined.
3. Take a random and representative sample from the batch of harvested cherries.
4. Spread the sample on the CEREZOMETRO guaranteeing one cherry per hole.
5. Count cherries outside the target range, for example green or unripe cherries, dry or overripe.
6. If the target lot is less than 95%, corrective actions such as manual sorting, flotation, selection by size, use of color sorting equipment, among others, must be carried out.
7. Verify that the target lot is in the optimal percentage after having taken the corrective actions.
8. Begin the processing stage.
Use of the CEREZOMETRO® | Credits: Darveris Rivas.
Importance of using the cerezometro
By guaranteeing the quality of the raw material through monitoring, we guarantee the presence of aroma and flavor precursors that will only be present in a target batch with excellent maturity characteristics that will be expressed in the cup.
Sobre el autor
Darveris Rivas
Degree in Chemistry, Q Arabica Grader, Q processing professional, Q processing expert, and SCA Certificate in different areas.
He is currently a Researcher in the Laboratory of Chemical, Industrial and Agricultural Research and Analysis of the Universidad de Los Andes, Professor of the Coffee Diploma of the Universidad Central de Venezuela, Professor of the Coffee Diploma of the Universidad de Los Andes, President of the Civil Coffee Association of Mérida-VE, Executive member of the Café de Mérida-VE Cluster, coffee quality consultant in different companies, Representative of equipment and tools brands for the coffee and cocoa sector, its cerezometro® and other proprietary products, a result of its scientific and technological development in coffee.
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