Organic coffee is grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and no synthetic substances or additives are used during the entire production cycle, from roasting to packaging. Coffee trees grow on small plantations, often in the shade, because it is prohibited to cut down neighboring tropical forests, moreover, it is necessary to plant new seedlings. In this way, bird populations that destroy insect pests are supported. 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 environmentally friendly production does not pollute the environment.
There are no special varieties of organic coffee: it is the same Arabica and Robusta, only grown in different conditions. Plantations are located in Peru, Mexico, Tanzania, Nepal, Nicaragua, Guatemala, the Hawaiian Islands and New Guinea.
How does organic coffee taste different from regular coffee?
Because organic coffee is grown in the shade, it matures more slowly, gradually becoming saturated with nutrients. Coffee lovers have not yet decided whether this affects its taste: some claim that organic coffee is brighter and richer than regular coffee, while others see no difference.
Differences in cultivation and production
Organic coffee production differs from regular coffee production at every stage.
- Preparation: The soil should not come into contact with chemicals for 3 to 5 years before planting coffee trees.
- Cultivation. Only organic fertilizers are allowed. It is forbidden to use synthetic products, even for pest control purposes.
- Berry picking and processing. Berries are picked by hand and processed using a dry or wet method, depending on the country’s climate.
- Roasting. For organic coffee, separate roasters are needed, in which non-organic beans have never been roasted before. Strict separation of organic raw materials is also mandatory at all subsequent stages: during storage, transportation and packaging in bags.
- In the production of organic coffee, flavor enhancers and any synthetic additives are prohibited.
- Organic coffee packaging must be eco-friendly and biodegradable.
Organic Decaffeinated Coffee
The following methods of removing caffeine from beans are acceptable:
- Treatment with carbon dioxide, which acts as a solvent.
- Swiss water method: a complex process of soaking the beans and filtering the resulting extract through carbon filters.
Both methods are environmentally friendly, but are considered the most expensive, so the price of organic decaf is steep.
How to Choose 100% Organic Coffee: Expert Advice
Organic coffee can be distinguished from regular coffee by special certificates. To prevent counterfeiting, they are only allowed to be obtained in the country where the specific plantation is located.
- USDA Organic — issued by the American organization National Organic Program (NOP). It means that no fertilizers or pesticides were used in growing coffee, and all stages of production were strictly controlled.
- OCIA — issued by the international organization Organic Crop Improvement Association with regional branches in Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and other countries. Certifies the absence of chemicals in the cultivation and production of the product.
- Rainforest Alliance – ensures that coffee is grown without harm to tropical animals and that there are no labor violations against workers.
- Fairtrade – ensures decent working conditions and pay for all workers involved in production.
- Bird Friendly — can only be obtained from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. However, first you will also need a USDA Organic certificate. In addition, at least 40% of all the trees on the plantation must be grown in the shade — this guarantees the preservation of forests and an increase in the bird population. Coffee with this certificate is the hardest to find in stores.
Production and Costs
The first two certificates are aimed at the quality of the product itself, and the rest are aimed at preserving the environment and suitable conditions for human labor. However, in general, they are all interconnected. Even if the coffee only has an Organic certificate, you don’t have to worry about the environment.
It is also important that the packaging has the mark – 100% organic. But the Made with organic label is a marketing ploy. This inscription means that the organic coffee in such a pack is only at least 70%.
Of course, organic coffee is much more expensive than regular coffee due to the specifics of production and costs (including certification), but it can be found on the shelves of popular hypermarkets without fear of counterfeits.
There is conditionally organic coffee, for example, Ethiopian. It is grown without synthetic fertilizers, because farmers simply do not have money for them, but it is often uncertified (for the same reason). However, it is the certificates that guarantee the safety of the product and each batch, so without them we cannot talk about 100% organic coffee.
Why organic coffee needs separate containers
So, by buying organic coffee, you support farm work, participate in preserving tropical forests, care about the environment and, of course, about your own health. At the same time, even in your own kitchen, it is important to continue separating eco-beans from non-organic ones, just as they do in production. That is, it is not recommended to prepare organic and “industrial” coffee in the same dishes or coffee machine.
However, if you don’t feel a difference in taste, and you buy organic coffee only to care about the planet’s ecology, then you won’t have to get a second coffee machine to make a separate drink.