Alia Rahmi A REVIEW ON INSTANT WHITE COFFEE AND INSTANT DECAFFEINATED COFFEE PROCESSING WHITE COFFEE INSTAN DAN KOPI INSTAN RENDAH KAFEIN: SEBUAH TINJAUAN TENTANG PROSES PENGOLAHANNYA Alia Rahmi Jurusan Budidaya Pertanian Fakultas Pertanian UNLAM Jl. Jend. A. Yani Km 36 PO Box 1028 Banjarbaru 70714 ABSTRACT Instant white coffee is commonly associated with its preceding popular counterpart, the instant decaffeinated coffee. Questions of whether the two products are made from different variety of coffee bean, underwent different processing techniques, or shares different caffeine contents, are poorly explained. The purpose of this review is to provide a better understanding on both products. Instant white coffee and instant decaffeinated (black) coffee are made from similar coffee varieties, the Arabica and the Robusta. Both products undergo similar coffee processing from harvesting, de-pulping, mucilaginous coating removal to drying. The difference takes place in the decaffeination process and the roasting process. Consequently, as instant products, both are processed through an instant making process. Instant decaffeinated coffee is processed through a decaffeination process whereas it is not common for instant white coffee. Instant white coffee is processed through a lower roasting temperature and a shorter roasting time, hence possesses a detracted bitter aftertaste, a lightened colour, a higher caffeine content and a high acidic note. Instant decaffeinated (black) coffee is processed at a higher roasting level (160 – 280oC; 20 – 40 minutes), therefore bears bitter aftertaste, dark colour, lower caffeine content and slightly acidic. The claim for health benefits, although not specifically on lean body mass, in white coffee, it is maybe true due to the high caffeine, chlorogenic and cafeic acid content. However, the claim for softness on the stomach is still debatable. Keywords: coffee, white coffee, decaffeinated coffee, instant ABSTRAK White coffee instan seringkali dikatagorikan sama dengan kopi instan rendah kafein. Pertanyaan seputar varietas kopi yang digunakan, proses pengolahan, dan kadar kafein kedua produk tersebut masih belum terjawab secara jelas. Tujuan dari tinjauan ini adalah untuk memberikan gambaran lebih jelas tentang kedua produk tersebut. White coffee instan dan kopi instan rendah kafein dibuat dari varietas kopi yang sama, yaitu Arabica dan Robusta. Kedua produk tersebut diolah dengan cara yang sama melalui tahap pemanenan, pelepasan daging buah, penghilangan lapisan luar biji, dan pengeringan. Perbedaan pengolahannya adalah pada tahap dekafeinasi dan penyangraian. Selanjutnya, sebagai produk instan, kedua produk mengalami tahap instanisasi. Kopi rendah kafein melalui tahap dekafeinasi yang tidak umum dilakukan terhadap white coffee. White coffee disangrai pada suhu yang lebih rendah dalam waktu yang lebih singkat, sehingga memiliki rasa yang tidak terlalu pahit, warna yang lebih muda, kadar kafein yang lebih tinggi dan rasa asam yang lebih kuat. Kopi rendah kafein disangrai pada suhu lebih tinggi dalam waktu lebih lama (160 – 280oC; 20 – 40 menit), sehingga memiliki rasa lebih pahit, warna lebih gelap, kadar kafein lebih rendah dan rasa tidak terlalu asam. Klaim manfaat kesehatan white coffee, meski tidak spesifik untuk mengendalikan berat badan, mungkin benar karena kadar kafein, asam klorogenat dan asam kafeatnya yang tinggi. Bagaimanapun, klaimnya bagi penderita sakit maag masih perlu dukungan penjelasan ilmiah. Keywords: Kopi, White coffee, Kopi Instan rendah kafein INTRODUCTION white coffee for instant white coffee and black coffee for instant decaffeinated black coffee, respectively. The emergence of white coffee commercials on Questions of whether the two products are made Indonesian broadcasting television has caught the from different variety of coffee bean, underwent attention of viewers. The product is perceived by different processing techniques, or shares different potential customers as a new coffee product that is caffeine contents, are poorly explained. The review soft on the stomach, has a healthy diet (lean body attempted to provide a better understanding about mass) promoting effect, and for some, is low in both products. caffeine. The instant version of the product is commonly associated to its preceding popular METHODOLOGY counterpart, the instant decaffeinated (black) coffee. The products discussed will further bear the term This review is narrative and was carried out by 120 Agroscientiae ISSN 0854-2333 A review on instant white coffee…… summarising, interpreting, and critically evaluating solely in decaffeination process is not popular. (meta-synthesis) the existing literature on white The use of decaffeinating agent following a coffee, decaffeinated coffee and instant coffee water process is more practised. There are at making. The lacking of scholarly journals discussing least eight methods known in decaffeination about the reviewed products, urges the use of a process including water extraction, direct selective number of published materials of web- method, indirect method, triglyceride method, based and practice literature that are relevant and CO2 process and Roselius process (Senese best address the topic discussed. 2010; Coffee Research Institute 2006; Barista Guru 2004; Swiss Water Process 2010). All the RESULTS AND DISCUSSION eight methods except Roselius process are practised by coffee manufacturers around the The Arabica (Coffea arabica) and Robusta world. Roselius process is no longer used (Coffea canephora var. robusta) are the most commercially due to safety issue (Uher 2008). common coffee varieties in its worldwide trade Solid/liquid extraction principle is fundamental in (Ranken, Kill & Baker 1997). Coffee is harvested as decaffeination process. coffee cherry. Structure of coffee cherry is shown in Figure 1. Coffee bean is the part which will be A.1. Water extraction processed further in coffee manufacturing. The outer Senese (2010) wrote that in water part of coffee cherry are removed. Removal of the extraction, green coffee beans are soaked outer skin and pulp is done by pulping machines, in hot water (almost boiling temperature). while mucilaginous coating on the beans are Hot water leaches out caffeine and flavour removed by various methods such as fermentation, components from the beans. Passing the the use of commercial pectinase, or washing extract, which is rich in caffeine and treatments (Belitz, Grosch & Schieberle 2009; Potter flavour components, through activated & Hotchkiss 1998). charcoal will yield free caffeine extract. The latter extract is still rich in flavour components. To restore the flavour, the extract is then used to soak original green coffee beans. The driving force to equilibrium causes the flavour to penetrate back into the green coffee beans. Flavour restored green coffee beans which are free of caffeine are ready to be dried. A.2. Swiss Water process Swiss Water process is named after Figure 1. Structure of coffee cherry (Coffee Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee processing 2011) Company. The process is using water to extract caffeine, however before Coffee beans are then dried under the sun or by extraction, water is already saturated with the use of drying unit. Dried coffee beans are still green coffee bean flavour by soaking the green (not yet roasted). Green coffee beans are green coffee beans in the water. This shipped to coffee manufacturers worldwide. Then, saturated water is called “flavour charged the coffee beans undergo further process, including water”. The saturation level of flavour decaffeination and roasting process. Instant coffee charged water is in equilibrium with the making is done at a later stage, after the beans are flavour components in the green coffee roasted. Sections will be dedicated individually for beans. Due to the equilibrium state, when decaffeination process that is more common for fresh batch of green coffee beans are black coffee, roasting process indicative to white soaked, only caffeine will leach out, while coffee and instant coffee making for both black flavour components are kept. Swiss Water coffee and white coffee. Process (2010) claimed that this process takes about 8-10 hours to extract 99.9% A. Decaffeination Process (Indicative to Black caffeine. Caffeine free coffee beans are Coffee) now ready to be dried and further Decaffeination process is aimed at removing processed or shipped to coffee caffeine from coffee beans, without spoiling its manufacturers around the world. Caffeine distinct flavour. Coffee is decaffeinated if it is which is still present in flavour charged 99.9% caffeine free (Swiss Water Process: water, will be trapped using activated decaffeination 101 2008). carbon filter, and the flavour charged Caffeine and flavour components in coffee water can be used again to extract beans are water soluble, thus, the use of water caffeine from a new batch of green coffee beans. This process is shown on Figure 2. Agroscientiae Volume 20 Nomor 3 Desember 2013 121 Alia Rahmi beans are soaked twice in two different liquid. The first soaking is done in hot water to let caffeine mobilise to the beans surface. The second soaking is done in coffee oil for several hours at high temperature (Barista Guru 2004). Coffee oil can be obtained by pressing spent coffee grounds. The second soaking is to let caffeine extracted by coffee oil. No flavour component is extracted in this method. The coffee beans can be taken out from coffee oil and dried. Figure 2. Swiss Water Process (Brainy Bean