Coffee bean

A coffee bean is actually the seed of the Coffea plant, and it is what gives us coffee. The fruit that holds these seeds is commonly called a coffee cherry, but unlike a true cherry—which has a single pit—this fruit usually contains two seeds pressed together on their flat sides. They are called "beans" because of how they look, even though they are not real beans. Most of a coffee bean is made up of endosperm, similar to Brazil nuts and white rice. Because coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, coffee beans are a valuable cash crop and a key export, bringing in more than half of the foreign currency for some developing countries.

The two main types of coffee plants that matter economically are arabica and robusta. Arabica makes up about 60% of global coffee production, while robusta accounts for roughly 40%. Arabica beans have between 0.8% and 1.4% caffeine, whereas robusta beans contain 1.7% to 4.0% caffeine. In 2023, Brazil was the largest producer of coffee and coffee beans. Other major exporters include Colombia, Vietnam, and Ethiopia.

Legend has it that the coffee plant was first discovered in Ethiopia around 850 AD by a goat herder named Kaldi, who noticed his goats became more active after eating the beans. Coffee was first cultivated in India (Chikmagalur) in 1600, in Europe in 1616, in Java in 1699, and in the Caribbean (Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico) between 1715 and 1730. It reached the Dutch East Indies in 1720 and South America in 1730. Roasted beans were first sold in a retail market in Pittsburgh in 1865. Various coffee extracts and powdered instant coffee were developed in the late 19th century.

Brazil supplies about 45% of the world's total coffee exports. Coffee plants grow only within a specific area between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, known as the bean belt or coffee belt.

The word "coffee" likely entered European languages from Turkish *kahveh* around 1600, possibly through Italian *caffè*. The Arabic *qahwah*, pronounced *kahveh* in Turkish, originally referred to the drink or infusion. Arab lexicographers say it once meant "wine" or a type of wine, coming from the verb-root *qahiya* ("to have no appetite"). Another common theory is that the name comes from the Kaffa Province in Ethiopia, where the species may have originated.

The coffee tree produces fruit called coffee cherries. Most cherries contain two seeds with flat sides together, but about 10% to 15% of cherries, known as "peaberries," hold just one seed. Some claim peaberries taste better because the single seed doesn't have to share nutrients, giving it brighter acidity, sweetness, and more concentrated flavors, but there is little solid evidence for this—peaberries may simply be selected from high-quality beans. Coffee trees grow 5 to 10 meters (16 to 33 feet) tall. As they age, they produce less fruit and become more vulnerable to pests and diseases. The beans come from seeds of fruits on trees and shrubs that originally grew wild in African forests. Humans make coffee by roasting, grinding, and brewing the raw green beans.

Farmers often plant coffee in rows, with spacing based on desired density. Some plant shade trees or cash crops like orange trees nearby, or grow coffee on hillsides, to create the right conditions. Arabica coffee does best at temperatures between 15 and 24 °C (59 and 75 °F), while robusta prefers 24 to 30 °C (75 to 86 °F). Both need 500 to 3,000 mm (20 to 118 inches) of rainfall per year, with more rain early in the season when fruit develops and less as it ripens. Two lesser-known species grown for consumption are *Coffea liberica* and *Coffea racemosa*.

When the fruit is ripe, it is almost always picked by hand. "Selective picking" removes only the ripe fruit, giving higher-quality coffee. "Strip-picking" takes all fruit from a limb at once, which mixes unripe, ripe, and over-ripe cherries and requires sorting afterward. Two main methods process the berries. The "wet" or "washed" process, historically common in Central America and parts of Africa, separates the flesh from the seeds and then ferments the seeds in water for about two days to soften the sticky pulp, which is then washed off. The "dry processing" method is cheaper and simpler. It was once used mainly for lower-quality beans in Brazil and much of Africa, but today it can fetch a premium when done well. Twigs and debris are removed, and the fruit is spread in the sun on concrete, bricks, or raised beds for two to three weeks, turned regularly for even drying. In Asia, a third method is sometimes used: the Asian palm civet eats coffee berries and excretes the beans. The civet picks only the ripest cherries, and its digestive system breaks down the mucilage.