Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/491374
54 STiR tea & coffee industry international beans, a certain amount of chaff ends up displacing some of the ground coffee in the capsule. Chaff is of no benefit but removing all the silverskin is not practical. There is some work being done on producing high yield coffee, in which the chaff is eliminated. These grinders crush individual cells to a very precise particle size. The Marco Uber Grinder, for example, features burrs held in place by magnets to eliminate screw holes, glass pearl blasting, titanium plating and a pour-over profile optimized for 750 to 800 µm granules but these specialized low volume grinders are impractical for commercial fill and pack. Capsule design "Coffee capsules are so small in size that the majority of individuals do not pay much attention to their complexity," said Kai Wulff, general sales manager food & beverage with Glatfelter's composite fibers business unit. All capsules must meet two critical requirements – insure a long product shelf life and withstand the heat and pressure of brewing. Keurig's K-Cups are larger, thinner and contain more coffee than Nespresso's capsules which hold 5 grams of coffee and withstand pressures up to 19 bar (VertuoLine). Nespresso capsules are made of aluminum lined with a protective coating. A grid at the base of the capsule is punctured to allow the coffee to exit. Nestle's Dolce Gusto 54mm capsules are thermoformed polypropylene with an EVOH barrier and a hole in the base. The latest K-Cup design has a spout. To save money Nespresso knock- offs are made of injection-formed plastic. K-Cup compatible capsules often feature an open-sided mesh design in which the capsule acts as filter. Regardless of design, capsules must prevent exposure to light, moisture and oxy- gen, which impair aroma and taste. They must also accommodate internal challeng- es that include settling, clumping and the release of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). A kilo of roasted coffee releases six liters and espresso blends up to 10 liters of CO 2 within five weeks, an amount sufficient to damage packaging. In his book Espresso Coffee: The Science of Quality Andrea Illy estimates that the release of CO 2 is directly correlated to the loss of volatiles. Release 50% of the CO 2 and half the aromatics wisp away. The darker the roast the greater loss, he writes. When Keurig's patent protection expired in 2012 three solutions emerged. Cali- fornia-based Rogers Family Coffee introduced the OneCup, a plastic ring with coffee suspended in a soft mesh filter. TreeHouse Foods introduced a hard sided Keurig compatible capsule popular with large grocery chains with private label offerings. Hard sided capsules often contain a filter that must possess excellent filtration properties, runnability and pressure resistance without imparting any flavor, said Wulff. MPE Ultranova grinding and densifying system. Neuhaus Neotec WMS series grinder Demand is growing from small brands and regional roasters who are seeking smaller minimums and expert assistance Capsule Backlash A marauding Godzilla constructed of K-Cups is the lastest example of how critics portray the ever-enlarging pile of plastic. Mike Hachey, c.e.o. of Egg Studios, a video production company in Halifax, Nova Scotia created this 2-1/2 minute mock horror film. Check out the video at: http://bit.ly/KCupMonster