Optimal Yield for Soluble Coffee

Freeze-drying, spray-drying and agglomeration are the drying technologies applied by Deutsche Extrakt Kaffee GmbH to preserve the flavor of freshly roasted coffee beans in instant coffee. For all these technologies, moisture content monitoring is a must. METTLER TOLEDO instruments help ensure that the moisture content remains between 2-5% in order to meet the legal requirements and provide a great coffee aroma.

Process Control with Halogen Moisture Analyzers
Deutsche Extrakt Kaffee GmbH (DEK) supplies the German retail market with soluble coffee in various blends and qualities. Its manufacturing facility in Berlin produces coffee powder around the clock and adheres to HACCP and ISO 9001 standards. A concentrated coffee extract is transformed into a stable and soluble powder through either freeze-drying or spray-drying. In an additional step, the fine powder obtained by spray-drying can be agglomerated to form granules. During each of these processes, moisture is monitored at 30-minute intervals with user-friendly and robust METTLER TOLEDO halogen moisture analyzers for 24/7 operation in production environments. The in-time delivery of data enables the operator to control the drying process by adjusting process parameters immediately should the need to adjust the moisture content arise.

HR83 for Final Inspection and Batch Release
Each production batch released by the QC laboratory includes moisture analysis from the HR83 halogen moisture analyzer to verify that the moisture is within the specified range of 3.5-4.6% as required by DEK’s quality control. This is below the maximum moisture content of 5% as defined by the food law and above 2% moisture, ensuring a full coffee taste. A regular check against the Karl Fischer titration reference method confirms that all halogen moisture analyzers in production and lab environments work accurately. It is this high level of accuracy that is needed to keep coffee as moist as allowed and as dry as required.