Roasting green coffee beans using spouted bed roaster: changes in physical characteristics.

Pea-berry grade of green coffee (Coffea arabica) beans were roasted in a laboratory model spouted bed roaster at different temperatures (150-250°C) and times (30-300 s). The roasted samples were analysed for instrumental colour (hue, chroma and brightness) and texture. Brightness of the roasted samples varied between 5.2 and 20.4%, and time of roasting markedly decreased the brightness values. The chroma showed a curvilinear decrease with both time and temperature of roasting; the lowest values were with highest roasting times and temperatures. The hue or dominant wavelength increased from 576 to 603 nm due to roasting. The maximum force offered by the roasted beans decreased with temperature and/or time of roasting. An appropriate condition for spouted bed roasting of green coffee beans was obtained considering colour of samples and desirable low failure/fracture force.