Do Packaging Materials Significantly Impact Green Coffee Beans? What Packaging Materials Do Green Coffee Beans Prefer?

As you savor the aromatic and delicious coffee in your cup, you might not have considered that these coffee beans travel from one station to another to reach the roaster's hands, and only after roasting can we have a good cup of coffee.

So, does the packaging of green coffee beans affect them? Through transportation from one station to another and the passage of time, this will always have a certain impact on the shelf life and quality of coffee beans. At FrontStreet Coffee, among the green coffee beans received, several types of packaging appear. Burlap sacks are the most common packaging, followed by vacuum bags and plastic bags. What are their advantages and disadvantages? Let's explore them together.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Burlap

Canvas made from natural fibers extracted from plants, jute, or burlap is the most traditional material used to make coffee bags. This is an environmentally friendly choice; the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization states that it is "100% biodegradable, recyclable, and therefore environmentally friendly." It is also durable and relatively affordable, making it the oldest coffee packaging material to date.

However, it cannot provide protection against moisture or oxygen—two factors associated with poorer coffee quality or even defects such as mold. The bags are permeable.

Additionally, jute bags traditionally hold 60 kilograms of coffee (or 70 kilograms in some countries). Meanwhile, plastic bulk bags and container liners can store from 1 to over 20 tons of green beans. Depending on the batch being stored or transported, producers may decide to choose larger and more efficient storage options.

Advantages of Plastic

Most commonly made from polyethylene or polypropylene, plastic storage options range from 60-kilogram bags to bulk bags and container liners. Compared to jute, this material is cheaper and more resistant to moisture and gas, but still permeable.

High Cost of Vacuum Packaging

When coffee is vacuum packaged, it is also stored in waterproof plastic bags. Then, in addition to providing an airtight seal for green coffee, negative pressure is created to remove all air. Multi-layer vacuum packaging is widely considered the most effective method for maintaining green coffee quality. However, due to the relatively high cost, this method is typically used only for samples or for micro and nano-lot specialty coffees.

The Significant Role of High Barrier Packaging

Professor Flávio Meira Borém is an agricultural engineer specializing in vegetable production. For the past few years, he has been dedicated to coffee research. He states that high barrier bags are "packaging with different compositions and structures capable of preventing gas and water exchange between the interior and the atmosphere... it is packaging with high impermeability."

Although more expensive than other types of packaging, high barrier bags are designed to maintain coffee quality over time by preventing chemical reactions with moisture and oxygen. You can find high barrier packaging in various sizes, including container liners.

Of course, the packaging materials used for coffee are not something we can control ourselves. The ultimate goal is to ensure the quality of the coffee.