**1. Introduction**

Coffee trees are widely grown in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America [1]. The world annual coffee production estimated 158.6 million 60-kg bags as of 2017/2018, up from 148.6 million 60-kg bags in 2014/2015. South America, Asia and Oceania, Mexico and Central America, and Africa produced as presented, respectively, 81.5, 47.7, 21.7, and 17.8 million 60-kg bags of coffee. The genus *Coffea* belongs to the *Rubiaceae* family and holds more than 90 different species. However, only *Coffea arabica*, *Coffea canephora*, and *Coffea liberica* are commercially important [1]. Arabica coffee accounts for about 64%, while *C. canephora* accounts for about 35% of the world's production; other species with not much commercial value like *Coffea liberica* and *Coffea excelsa* represent only 1% [2]. The quality of coffee is affected by a series of multiple factors. In broad categories, two factors affect coffee quality, namely, pre-harvest and post-harvest factors [3]. The pre-harvest factors set approximately 40% of the sensory attributes and physical and chemical properties of the coffee beans and the remaining 60% of the coffee quality established by the post-harvest processing [4]. Following harvesting, coffee cherries go through a complex series of post-harvest processing steps to be in a more stable, transportable, and roastable form. The initial post-harvest processing steps have a significant role in ensuring the safe changes of the perishable coffee cherries into moderately stable green coffee beans. These green coffee beans have a moisture content of 10–12% to avoid undesired fermentation [5]. The popularity of the coffee product is associated with its distinctive organoleptic properties. Post-harvest management activities conducted to obtain suitably dried coffee beans for roasting and significantly contribute to the quality of the coffee beverage [6]. Post-harvest processing changes the chemical composition of green coffee beans that directly or indirectly influences the quality and end products [3, 7, 8]. These activities include a series of complicated steps including cherry harvesting, de-pulping, fermenting, drying, storage, and others. The number of activities varies according to the type processing method. Right after the on-farm post-harvest process is finished, the coffee can be brought to the coffee industry where the semi-manufactured or complete products are made for commercialization [9].

**Components %** Ether extract 0.48 Crude extract 21.4 Crude protein 10.1 Ash 1.5 Nitrogen-free extract 31.3 Tannins 7.8 Pectin substance 6.5 Non-reducing sugars 2.0 Reducing sugars 12.4 Chlorogenic acid 2.6 Caffeine 2.3 Total caffeic acid 1.6

*The Harvest and Post-Harvest Management Practices' Impact on Coffee Quality*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89224*

**Components Concentration (g/L)** Glucose 35.65 Galactose 37.67 Lactose 1.06 Proteins 0.119 Syringaldehyde 0.610 **Minerals (mg/L)** Sulphur 30.19 Calcium 37.08 Potassium 239.8 Magnesium 10.05 Phosphorus 41.55 Sodium 7.18 Iron 0.65 Copper 2.45 Zinc 0.14 Manganese 0.07 Boron 0.16 Barium 0.02 Arsenic 0.47 Lithium 0.01 Silicon 1.58 Strontium 0.07

*Adapted from Gathuo et al. [13].*

*Composition of coffee pulp.*

*Adapted from Pérez-Sariñana et al. [14].*

*Chemical composition of coffee mucilage.*

**Table 2.**

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**Table 1.**
