The preservation of flavors from seed to cup is an everyday challenge for specialty coffee producers and roasters. At origin, the focus is on soil health, altitude, and processing methods, but a critical point where beans can lose their characteristic sensory attributes is during storage and shipping. The traditional jute bag is breathable and does not protect your coffees against outside elements, which has led the specialty industry to switch to high-performance hermetic grain bags to better preserve the quality of the coffees and the value produced by farmers and traders.
Ecotact is an ally for any coffee producer and trader. Our expertise lies in preventing quality losses through the control of moisture and oxygen, and we have been at the forefront of the hermetic grain bag industry since 2005. Our multi-layered packaging technology is the key to keeping high-quality beans tasting like they did the day they left the drying patio, from a floral Ethiopian Geisha to a richly sweet Bourbon from Burundi.
The Science of Freshness: Why Hermetic Seals Matter
The biggest threats to green coffee are oxidation and changes in relative humidity. When green coffee is exposed to the atmosphere, oxidation leads to unwanted chemical reactions that give the beans a baggy or woody flavor. Hermetic packaging prevents this oxidation by creating a modified atmosphere that slows the aging process in place.
Managing Moisture Levels for Longevity
Green coffee is typically dried to 10% to 12% moisture content. If that changes due to humidity during ocean transit, beans are more likely to develop mold and lose their distinct flavors. Hermetic grain bags create a low-oxygen and moisture-controlled environment even in a humid shipping container or warehouse, which insulates the beans from changes in relative humidity and temperature.
Oxidation and Pest Control
Over time, the quality of coffee declines as its lipids undergo oxidation, leading to rancidity. Advanced liners use multi-layer co-extrusion to create a high-performance oxygen barrier. An altered atmosphere also inhibits the spoilage processes of aerobic microorganisms and suppresses pests by inducing an asphyxiation condition.
Thus, no chemical fumigants are needed to preserve the physical structure and the chemical composition of green coffee to a great extent for more than twelve months. Volatile compounds and organic acids are maintained during long-term storage of green coffee with the storage liners.
World-Class Infrastructure and Global Compliances
As an ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 22000:2018 organization, we take pride in our world-class manufacturing setup. We have factories in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and New Delhi, which house European co-extrusion machines to manufacture high-clarity recyclable films of uniform gauge.
Global Food Safety Compliances
As coffee is a commodity traded on a global stage, your packaging needs to stand up to international compliance standards too. As India’s first creators of multi-layered hermetic solutions, Ecotact gives you responsible and sustainable solutions compliant to COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 10/2011 (with all subsequent amendments), US FDA 21 CFR and BfR Recommendations. Our products also comply with Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and the German Food and Commodities Act (LFGB), Sections 30 & 31, and the Japan Food Sanitation Law.
Moreover, BRCGS (Brand Reputation through Compliance Global Standard) certification for all our products ensures that our manufacturing facilities deliver food safety and quality management at every step in the process. These international certifications give exporters of green coffee bean bags a complete peace of mind while crossing national borders, for their coffee packaging is as premium as the coffee beans packed in it.
Eco-Friendly Practices and Recycling
Since sustainability is one of our core values, our bags are 100% recyclable, and we even offer recycling solutions for the used bags in the countries of destination. We believe in saving the planet just as we believe in saving coffee.
Investing in the Future of Flavor
Switching from a burlap bag to a hermetic one is a crucial part of the specialty coffee experience. Avoiding the hazards of moisture, oxygen, and insects will guarantee that the farmer’s work is preserved until the coffee is roasted.
If you need food-grade, strong, and sustainable green coffee bean storage options, Ecotact offers various items in its portfolio, such as Hermetic Sample Bags, Sterile Vacuum Bags, Hermetic Container Liners, and more. Our products are already present in more than 50 countries, and 30+ million bags have been sold. We are here to support you in protecting your product’s value over time.
FAQs:
How long do the sensory qualities of specialty-grade green coffee last when it’s in Ecotact?
When stored in an airtight, cool, and dry environment, specialty green coffee can keep its unique sensory profile and freshness for over a year in Ecotact packaging. This extends its freshness significantly when compared to traditional porous packaging.
Can Ecotact packaging bags be reused?
Yes. Because our multi-layered films provide excellent puncture resistance and stretch properties, our packaging can be reused to save sustainability and oxygen/moisture protection, so long as it is not damaged in the process.
Is special machinery needed for sealing the Ecotact liners to create an airtight environment?
Our specific range of vacuum-sealed products requires specific machinery to create a vacuum. However, our hermetic liners require only good-quality, high-tensile cable ties or a basic heat sealer to form an airtight environment. The Ecotact liners ensure high-quality packaging is available at each point in the value chain from origin to roaster.
Is this type of packaging available in other products apart from coffee?
Ecotact bags are made using multi-layer co-extruded films and are suitable for use across different types of high-value products from all around the world. These are the best bags for products such as cocoa beans, tea, sugar, rice, quinoa, and nuts of different varieties and can be used for storing all kinds of other products.
