Episode 024 - What is Sustainable Coffee? Part 4 - Postharvest Management

What the postharvest steps are for coffee once its picked from the tree. An interview with Dr. Irwin Donis-González, assistant professor at UC-Davis, working in the Coffee Center.

In this episode, Brendon interviews Dr. Irwin Donis-González to talk about postharvest management, coffee biology and how technology can be used to solve issues in the industry. Irwin shares about his background, growing up in Guatemala and his interests in engineering. He also defines what "postharvest" is and provides a distinction from "preharvest" factors in production.  We talk about the role postharvest management plays in achieving food security goals, and how food waste and spoilage is intensified in impoverished countries where proper technologies are not available.

Dr. Donis-González also talks about the risk of mycotoxins (toxic compounds produced by fungus) in coffee and why proper postharvest management is integral for conserving food safety.  Irwin also takes us on a journey from cherry (or berry) to a final drinkable product, discussing the steps along the way and the pros/cons of each processing style.  A special emphasis is placed on "drying," explaining the significance of this step for the safety and quality of coffee, along with the technologies used to monitor this process.

To learn more about UC Davis' Coffee Center, click here.
To connect with Dr. Donis-González, click here.