UNIVERSITATEA DE ȘTIINȚE AGRONOMICE ȘI MEDICINĂ VETERINARĂ,BUCUREȘTI

FACULTATEA DE MANAGEMENT,INGINERIE

ECONOMICĂ ÎN AGRICULTURĂ ȘI DEZVOLTARE RURALĂ SPECIALIZARE:IMAPA

Coffee

Students : Robe Andreea Nicolae Ciprian Marcu Marius-Razvan

Coffee is a brewed drink with a distinct aroma and flavor, prepared from roasted coffee beans, which are the seeds found inside ``berries`` of the Coffea plant. Coffee plants are cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in the equatorial regions of the Americas, Southeast Asia, India and Africa. The two most commonly grown are the highly regarded arabica, and the less sophisticated but stronger and more hardy robusta. The latter is resistant to the coffee leaf rust, Hemileia vastratix, but has a more bitter taste. Once ripe, coffee beans are picked, processed, and dried.

Legendary accounts According to legend, ancestors of today's Oromo people were believed to have been the first to recognize the energizing effect of the coffee plant, though no direct evidence has been found indicating where in Africa coffee grew or who among the native populations might have used it as a stimulant or even known about it, earlier than the 17th century.

Biology Several species of shrub of the

genus Coffea produce the berries from which coffee is extracted. The two main species commercially cultivated are Coffea canephora (predominantly a form known as 'robusta') and C.arabica. C. arabica, the most highly regarded species, is native to the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia and the Boma Plateau in southeastern Sudan and possibly Mount Marsabit in northern Kenya.

World production

In 2011 Brazil was the world leader in production of green coffee, followed by Vietnam, Indonesia and Colombia.Arabica coffee seeds are cultivated in Latin America,Eastern Africa, Arabia, or Asia. Robusta coffee seeds are grown in western and Central Africa, throughout Southeast Asia, and to some extent in Brazil.

Processing.

Coffee berries and their seeds undergo several processes before they become the familiar roasted coffee. Berries have been traditionally selectively picked by hand; a labor-intensive method, it involves the selection of only the berries at the peak of ripeness. More commonly, crops are strip picked, where all berries are harvested simultaneously regardless of ripeness by person or machine. After picking, green coffee is processed by one of two methods—the dry process method, simpler and less labor-intensive as the berries can be strip picked, and the wet process method, which incorporates fermentation into the process and yields a mild coffee.

Roasting The next step in the process is the roasting of the green coffee. Coffee is usually sold in a roasted state, and with rare exceptions all coffee is roasted before it is consumed. It can be sold roasted by the supplier, or it can be home roasted.The roasting process influences the taste of the beverage by changing the coffee bean both physically and chemically. The bean decreases in weight as moisture is lost and increases in volume, causing it to become less dense. The density of the bean also influences the strength of the coffee and requirements for packaging.

Grading the roasted beans

Depending on the color of the roasted beans as perceived by the human eye, they will be labeled as light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark, or very dark. A more accurate method of discerning the degree of roast involves measuring the reflected light from roasted seeds illuminated with a light source in the near-infrared spectrum.

Storage Coffee is best stored in an airtight container

made of ceramic, glass, or non-reactive metal. Higher quality prepackaged coffee usually has a one-way valve which prevents air from entering while allowing the coffee to release gases. Coffee freshness and flavor is preserved when it is stored away from moisture, heat, and light. The ability of coffee to absorb strong smells from food means that it should be kept away from such smells. Storage of coffee in the refrigerator is not recommended due to the presence of moisture which can cause deterioration. Exterior walls of buildings which face the sun may heat the interior of a home, and this heat may damage coffee stored near such a wall.

Method of action

The primary psychoactive chemical in coffee is caffeine, an adenosine antagonist that is known for its stimulant effects. Coffee also contains the monoamine oxidase inhibitors β-carboline and harmane, which may contribute to its psychoactivity.

Potential benefits

Coffee is no longer thought to be a risk factor for coronary heart disease.A 2012 meta-analysis concluded that people who drank moderate amounts of coffee had a lower rate of heart failure, with the biggest effect found for those who drank more than four cups a day. Moreover, in one study, habitual coffee consumption was associated with improved vascular function.

Potential risks

Coffee's adverse effects are more common when taken in excess, with potential health risks due mainly to its caffeine content and can therefore be avoided by drinking less coffee or using decaffeinated coffee.

Oily components called diterpenes  are present in unfiltered coffee and coffee brewed using metal filters, but not in coffee brewed using paper filters.

Social and culture

Coffee is often consumed alongside (or instead of) breakfast by many at home. It is often served at the end of a meal, normally with a dessert, and at times with an after-dinner mint especially when consumed at a restaurant or dinner party.

Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee https://www.google.ro