**3.1 Coffee processing methods**

After harvesting of the fruits, green coffee beans are obtained by one of three different methods known as dry, wet, and semi-dry processing [15]. Commonly, there are three different coffee processing methods (**Figure 3**). These methods are wet, dry, and semi-dry processing, and recently, digestive bioprocessing is practised on a small scale to produce the world's most expensive coffee (kopi luwak and black ivory coffee). Although all methods aim at removing the fruit flesh of coffee cherry, they do it in different ways [16]. After harvesting, the coffee cherry follows washing with water to separate floaters (overripe coffee cherries, undeveloped coffee cherries, sticks and leaves). Those processing methods are briefly described below.

*The Harvest and Post-Harvest Management Practices' Impact on Coffee Quality DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89224*

**Figure 3.** *Coffee processing methods.*

the plant [11]. Considering these factors, the producer should choose the right

parchment, silver skin, and finally, the coffee beans (**Figure 1**).

different varieties of arabica coffee cherries are presented in **Figure 2**.

**3. Post-harvest operations and their impact on coffee quality**

The major challenges in the coffee sector are obtaining uniform maturity, and at the same time, it is the procedure to provide consistent quality coffee. It is important to note that in most flowering plants the climatic condition during the growing period can change the number of flowering plants which affect the maturation uniformity [12]. In this harvesting system, only the ripened coffee cherries are harvested selectively by hand from the whole tree or branches. The harvested coffee meets the standards due to the uniformity of the cherries. This strategy needs several picking rounds and is labour-intensive. Considering the advantage and disadvantages of both harvesting strategies is the key for coffee growers. The coffee cherry has different layers that surround the beans, such as skin, pulp, mucilage,

The pulp and mucilage are rich in nutrients, and its chemical compositions are presented in **Tables 1** and **2**. These days the coffee pulps are being used for making a coffee wine by fermenting the coffee pulp. So far, there are two patents already registered in Korea. The ripe coffee cherries have colour ranges from bright red to deep red and yellow, depending on the plant variety and for ripe cherries. The

After harvesting of the fruits, green coffee beans are obtained by one of three different methods known as dry, wet, and semi-dry processing [15]. Commonly, there are three different coffee processing methods (**Figure 3**). These methods are wet, dry, and semi-dry processing, and recently, digestive bioprocessing is practised on a small scale to produce the world's most expensive coffee (kopi luwak and black ivory coffee). Although all methods aim at removing the fruit flesh of coffee cherry, they do it in different ways [16]. After harvesting, the coffee cherry follows washing with water to separate floaters (overripe coffee cherries, undeveloped coffee cherries, sticks and leaves). Those processing methods are briefly described below.

harvesting system that suits their crop.

*The cherries of different varieties of* Coffea arabica*.*

*Coffee - Production and Research*

**3.1 Coffee processing methods**

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**2.2 Selective picking**

**Figure 2.**
