PhilMech Researchers Develop Inexpensive Coffee Moisture Meter

Researchers from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) have developed a better, simple, inexpensive alternative yet accurate coffee moisture meter for green coffee beans and coffee parchments. This is through a project funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).

The research team led by Engr. Arlene C. Joaquin of PhilMech, in partnership with a local electronic company, made a prototype unit coffee moisture meter using a capacitive sensor oscillator circuit for both green coffee beans and coffee parchments.

Image Source: media.pia.gov.ph

Coffee farmers, buyers, and processors need not employ the traditional, subjective, slow, destructive and costly way of moisture content measurement.

Joaquin, in a project report, indicated that the prototype moisture meter is sufficiently accurate for three coffee varieties: coffea arabica, coffea liberica, and coffea canephora, for both green coffee beans and coffee parchments. This was the result of calibration experiments and validation tests conducted at PhilMech, Nueva Ecija.

It is important to know the amount of moisture content in coffee parchment and beans to maintain high cupping quality. Green coffee bean with high moisture content (greater than 12 percent wet basis) can deteriorate due to bacteria, mold, and yeast. On the other hand, coffee beans with less than nine percent moisture will shrink and become distorted, making them appear as low quality beans.

Monitoring the coffee’s moisture content at all times after it dried is necessary to ensure high quality and to command a better price at the time of sale. (Ofelia F. Domingo, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Service/PIA-Caraga)