OPTIMIZATION FERMENTATION OF COFFEE BEANS

USING AUTO-MIXING FERMENTOR

NUR INTAN AULIA

151710101082
THP A

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY

AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
JEMBER UNIVERSITY
OCTOBER, 2016

INTRODUCTION
The coffee is one of the commodities that provide foreign exchange
reserves for the state enough. Coffee Plants one of the important plants that have
economic value and be developed in commercial transactions (Sihombing, 2011).
In Indonesia, Sumatra island is a region of the broadest coffee plants reached
60%. In this case including the area of Jambi Province with total wide area 24.638
ha and production 9.208 tons with the total farmers 27.818 KK (Statistik
Perkebunan, 2005). The development of coffee plants fast enough, need to be
supported the proper method for processing so that obtained high quality of coffee
beans.
Coffee bean processing must be done with the right time exactly how,
and appropriate amount of. The criteria of the quality of the coffee beans include
physical aspects, taste and cleanliness as well as aspects of uniformity and
consistency is determined by the treatment at every stage of processing (AAK,
2009). Processing stages and coffee processing equipment specification that
ensures quality assurance must be clearly defined. So the improvement effort as
well as improving the quality of will get maximum results. Wet processing of
coffee beans become most processing that make coffee beans have a good quality.
Wet processing will produce a gentle coffee aroma stronger, body light weight,
aftertaste more effectively and acidity more high (Najiyati et al., 2004). But this
treatment less effective because they need a lot of water during processing.
Semi-washed processing of coffee bean become the solution to the
effectiveness of processing coffee beans. Special characteristics of the coffee that
processed in semi-washed is dark colored with physical coffee quite stave
churches. Other Benefits, semi-washed more shorter compared with a full wet
processing. The fermentation during processing becomes one of the determining
factors in the quality of coffee beans. Techniques that done during the process of
fermentation such as mixing affect the quality of the coffee beans. During this
process of fermentation of coffee bean is done using the fermentation box of wood

with mixing manually. Mixing manually cannot guarantee the spreading in

fermentation process on the whole coffee beans. It will cause differences in the
quality of coffee beans. Innovation is required the fermentation process which is
able to perform stirring the seeds automatically. So the level of success of
fermentation on all parts of the coffee beans are high. And the quality of the coffee
beans can be increased.

DISCUSSION
The coffee beans in wet processing produces coffee beans with good
quality. Fermentation on the wet process is able to reduce the mucilage layer of
the coffee and found it to be able to improve the quality without destroying the
layers of coffee beans. The combination of stripping method by mechanical, a
shorter fermentation time and effort to the separation of the seeds mature gave
birth to the concept of semi-washed processing reduces the processing time while
maintaining the quality of coffee (Burbano et al., 2010). The implementation of
the semi-washed processing technology is one of the efforts to improve the quality
of the coffee. The coffee will through the fermentation process that can improve
the taste of the coffee. Special characteristics of the coffee in semi-washed
processed is dark colored with coffee physical quite stave churches. Other
Benefits, semi-washed more shorter compared with a full wet processing.
The fermentation process in semi-washed processing become the
determining factor in the improvement quality of the coffee beans (Sevilla, 1993).
Fermentation in semi-washed methods is able to produce coffee flavour with a
soft acidity. In order for fermentation progress evenly, done reversals of coffee
beans as often as possible. The fermentation time ranged between 12 to 36 hours.
Used fermentor in fermentation process that is able to perform stirring the coffee
beans can automatically help coffee bean processing more effectively.

Pictures 1. (a). Auto-mixing Fermentor outside, (b). Auto-mixing Fermentor

inside

Auto-mixing fermentors is the modification of the appliance of

fermentation of coffee beans are able to perform stirring automatically. This
appliance is made from combining the fermentation box wood and fiberglass
materials. Fiberglass material used for storage place the appliance that are able to
regulate time mixing. In addition the use of fiberglass able to add aesthetics
appliance auto-omixing fermentors.
The principles of the stirrer automatically in the appliance is the same as
the working system of the dishwasher. Originally the coffee beans are inserted
into the box. Control (electronic tool that regulates all the movement of the
appliance) will detect how the level of the depth of the coffee beans in the box.
After that the control will set a time of fermentation and time mixing. Every
certain period of time Agitator on fermentation box will spin automatically. This
round is set by the engine at the bottom of the box of fermentation. On the
machine stirrer there are some parts of the appliance.

Agitator
Motor

Picture 2. Stirrer Machine

The following is a type of the appliance and the functions on the
machine stirrer.
1.

Motor function to play the Agitator that will stir the coffee beans during the

2.
3.

process of fermentation
Agitator is the bar can move play alternating
Control is central to the settings on the box of fermentation. This appliance is
working sets time mixing.

CONCLUSION
Auto-Mixing Fermentors is innovation the fermentor of coffee beans are
able to stirring the coffee beans automatically. The use of Auto-mixing Fermentors
is also expected to be able to optimize fermentation process. Mixing automatically
expected to make the process of fermentation occurs evenly on the whole coffee
beans. So that the fermentation process of the coffee beans can maximum and
quality of the coffee beans have more good.

REFERENCES
AAK. 2009. Budidaya Tanaman Kopi. Yogyakarta: Kanisius.

Burbano, E., Wright, M., Donald, E., Bright and Vega, F. E. 2010. New Record
for the Coffee Berry Borer. Hypothenemus hampei, Hawaii.

Departemen Kehutanan dan Perkebunan. 2005. Statistik Perkebunan Indonesia:

Tanaman Kopi. Jakarta: Sekretariat Direktorat Jenderal Perkebunan.

Najiyati dan Danarti. 2004. Kopi Budidaya dan Penanganan Lepas Panen.
Jakarta: Penebar Swadaya.

Sevilla, dkk. 1993. Metode Penelitian. Jakarta: UI Press.

Sihombing, L. 2011. Tataniaga Hasil Pertanian. Medan: USU Press.