Instant coffee

Instant coffee, also known as soluble coffee, coffee crystals, and coffee powder, is a beverage derived from brewed coffee beans. It enables people to quickly prepare hot coffee by adding hot water or milk to the powder or crystals and stirring. Instant coffee is commercially prepared by either freeze-drying or spray drying, after which it can be rehydrated.

History

Instant coffee was invented and patented by inventor David Strang in 1890, with Alphonse Allais, a Frenchman, developing his own method in the same year. High demand during World War II significantly increased the popularity of the product, which was used as a quick way to ensure coffee was available for soldiers.

Production

The production of instant coffee involves multiple steps. First, green, unroasted coffee beans are cleaned and sorted. These beans are then roasted and ground. The ground beans are brewed with water to produce a concentrated coffee solution. This solution is then either freeze-dried or spray-dried to remove the water, leaving behind dehydrated crystals of coffee. These crystals can then be packaged and sold as instant coffee.

Freeze-drying

In the freeze-drying process, the coffee extract solution is frozen to about -40 degrees Celsius. It is then broken into smaller granules, which are dried in a vacuum with low heat. This process is generally considered to produce instant coffee of a higher quality compared to spray drying.

Spray-drying

In the spray-drying process, hot air is used to evaporate the water in the coffee extract. The droplets of coffee extract are sprayed into a hot air stream (180-220 degrees Celsius). As the water evaporates, dried coffee particles are left behind. These particles are then collected and packaged.

Health

Instant coffee contains slightly less caffeine and more Acrylamide than regular coffee. However, the health implications of these differences are unclear, and more research is needed.

See also

• Coffee
• Coffee bean
• Caffeine
• Acrylamide