Unlike the standard bagger, flexible coffee packaging with degassing valves ensures that the whole bean coffee retains its freshness, shelf-life, integrity, and uniqueness.
Professional coffee roasters boast of their best ability in achieving a product with great flavor, aroma, acidity, and finish. Throughout the coffee packaging process, both non-volatile and volatile gases are emitted. Eighty percent of the gases released comprise carbon dioxide, which adds to the coffee’s flavor but still emits for a while. This is why the coffee packaging process is not only the last stage but is also an extremely crucial one to perfect the roasting process.
For freshness, a key factor of coffee rating is gas flushing which can be used instead of replacing oxygen with nitrogen, a component that quickly reduces shelf life and quality. Gas flushing is an essential process with the minimal recommendation of a residual oxygen level of 3%. Also, note that many roasters demand a smaller percentage.
While gas flushing differs in the coffee packaging process, the one-way degassing valve is as distinct and vital. Flushing is integrated into the bag or pouch-making process towards the end of the unwind. This flushing step comes before the shaping phase, and it may be positioned in different areas on the bag.
How does a Degassing Valve Aid in Coffee Packaging?
Let’s dive right into the three main reasons why degassing valves are an essential aspect of coffee packaging.
● Oxidation
The term oxidation can be defined as the chemical reaction in which a substance loses electrons when the substance combines with oxygen. For instance, when an apple is cut it starts to brown which is caused by oxidation. Oxidation is the key element that makes coffee go stale while also decreasing its shelf life. This may represent a difference of ten days or four months in a good quality shelf life. Ground coffee is actually more sensitive compared to a whole bean.
As noted, oxidation prevention is usually described in terms of gas flushing as well as its role in substituting oxygen with nitrogen. One-way degassing valve plays a role in restricting the introduction of oxygen while simultaneously releasing other gas from whole bean or ground coffee.
● Inflation
The emission of gases in packaged coffee is a result of inflation which starts shortly after roasting. The bag could bloat, leak, or even break open with the constant pressures caused by these gases.
The degassing valve enables these gases to pass through the bag during storage, making the package more flexible and eliminating spills resulting from ripped bags.
● Work in Progress Inventory
Roasted coffee can be swiftly packaged with the degassing valve. As stated earlier, CO2 is emitted from coffee right after roasting. With ground coffee, to be precise, a third of carbon dioxide is emitted immediately, while another third of gas is expelled in the next forty minutes.
You want to be able to package coffee as quickly as possible so you can preserve the quality of your coffee as best you can. Failure to use a degassing valve would make the transition process from roasting to packaging take longer.
This is likely to happen when applying a bin degassing approach versus gas flushing and packing through a one-way degassing valve. There will be inflation and a possibility of a leaking pouch when packaged instantly without the main valve component.
Conclusion
To learn how degassing valves impact your particular product and setup, always talk to a professional bag printer to get proper guidance.
Creating your coffee packaging is a big step that can make or break your business. Review your options and only decide once you are sure that your packaging choices truly support your branding, marketing, and preservation requirements.
