Russia is the world leader in instant coffee consumption. This can be explained by the fact that, firstly, the culture of coffee consumption in our country is just beginning to develop.
The second reason for the popularity of instant coffee is that it can be used to prepare coffee drink quickly enough, just by diluting the powder with water.
Same as ground instant coffee made from coffee beans. As a rule, to prepare this type of coffee, the Robusta variety is used.
Depending on the production technology, instant coffee is made in three forms: powdered coffee, granulated (high-temperature process) and freeze-dried (low-temperature process).
With high temperature method, which is also called the spray-drying method, raw coffee is cleaned, after which it is roasted and the beans are crushed to particles measuring 1.5-2 mm. The next stage is the extraction of soluble substances.
To do this, finely ground coffee is processed for 3-4 hours. hot water under a pressure of 15 atmospheres. Then the resulting mass is cooled, after cooling it is filtered, insoluble and resinous substances are removed and dried with hot air. After ready powder cool again.
In the production of granulated coffee, the same technology is used, but at the end the powder is turned into lumps by exposure to steam under pressure.
Low temperature process is called "sublimation". Sublimation is dehydration, drying of frozen foods in a vacuum.
A fairly new method of producing instant coffee. It is the most expensive, but it allows you to preserve the basic biological qualities of the material, since during such treatment oxygen is not oxidized and the volume of the product does not change.
The essence of freeze-dried coffee production is that coffee beans again boiled, then frozen, then the coffee ice is crushed, and, finally, the product is fed into a vacuum tunnel, where the ice evaporates, bypassing the liquid state.
The amount of caffeine contained in freeze-dried coffee is not much lower than in natural ground coffee.
Powdered and granulated coffee have one advantage- relatively low price. They also contain less caffeine than freeze-dried coffee.
The disadvantage of these types of instant coffee is that, due to the peculiarities of their production technology, neither the powder nor granules obtained as a result of processing retain the properties of natural coffee.
In the world there are many adherents of invigorating aromatic drink. Some people use it “on the run” in the morning to finally wake up. Others prefer to leisurely enjoy a cup of coffee after a hard day. One way or another, the tart and slightly bitter taste of roasted grains cannot leave almost anyone indifferent. Since many people do not have enough time and patience to brew coffee on their own, the instant version of the drink is widely popular today. The varieties of the latter will be discussed in our article.
Definitions
Freeze-dried coffee– instant drink produced using “dry frozen” technology. To make it, the beans are roasted and finely ground, then the resulting coffee “dust” is boiled in closed, sealed containers for about three hours. Steam is removed from the tanks using special pipes. Together with it, the contents contained in the grains also disappear. essential oils, which are subsequently extracted using special technologies. The digested coffee mass is subjected to rapid freezing in a vacuum, during which all moisture is removed from it. The dry product is broken into particles and soaked in essential oils extracted from the grains. Thanks to such a complex and delicate preparation technology, freeze-dried (or frozen) coffee is characterized rich taste and aroma. In line instant drinks In this category, it is considered the highest quality and natural.
Freeze-dried coffee
Granulated coffee – soluble powder, compressed into grains by steam treatment. The method of preparing the drink is called “spray-drying”. First, the grains undergo a cleaning procedure, after which they are fried and crushed into particles measuring 1.5-2 mm. The next step is the extraction of soluble substances. To do this, ground coffee is treated with hot water supplied under pressure for 3-4 hours. The resulting mass is cooled and filtered, insoluble and resinous substances are removed from it. The hot air-dried powder turns into lumps under the influence of steam. The use of this production technology leads to the fact that the resulting product almost does not retain the properties of natural coffee. Since during long-term heat treatment of raw materials it practically loses its saturated color and smell, various dyes and artificial flavors are added to the powder.
Granulated coffee Comparison
Let's start the comparison with appearance products. Freeze-dried coffee is in the form of crystals or pyramids, approximately equal in size. The mass has a pleasant light brown tint, comparable to the color milk chocolate. Granulated coffee is a powder pressed into small grains. It can have either a light or dark brown tint. As mentioned above, the freeze-dried drink is produced using modern, gentle “dry freezing” technology. Thanks to its use, the product retains up to 95% useful substances contained in coffee beans. Natural essential oils give the drink a subtle, refined aroma.
The difference between freeze-dried coffee and granulated coffee is that the latter is made using a more crude spray-drying technology. During a long heat treatment raw materials it almost completely loses its beneficial features. The resulting product does not have a distinct coffee smell and color, which is why dyes, flavors, flavor enhancers, etc. are added to it. Such a drink is very far from its natural grain counterpart. This fact determines its relatively low cost. The price of freeze-dried coffee is much higher. However, it should be noted that it is highly not recommended to abuse this drink. After all, it contains a lot of caffeine. By similar parameters, a granulated drink is much safer. But still drink it in large quantities Doctors do not recommend it on an empty stomach.
To summarize, what is the difference between freeze-dried and granulated coffee.
| Freeze-dried coffee | Granulated coffee |
| Has the shape of crystals or pyramids | It is a powder compressed into small grains |
| Has a pleasant light brown tint | May have either a light or dark brown tint |
| Produced using modern, gentle “dry freezing” technology | Manufactured using a more crude spray drying technology |
| The product retains up to 95% of the nutrients contained in coffee beans | During heat treatment, raw materials lose their valuable properties |
| Are used only natural flavors | Involves the presence of artificial additives |
| Relatively high cost | The price is much lower |
| Contains a large number of caffeine | The caffeine content is not too high |
59% of Russians regularly drink instant coffee. About 45% of the instant coffee market is occupied by granulated and freeze-dried types, with the latter predominant. What is the difference between granulated coffee and freeze-dried coffee and which one is better?
What is freeze-dried coffee?
Freeze-dried coffee is a type of instant coffee, for the production of which freeze dried or dry freezing technology is used.
The raw materials for the production of any type of instant coffee are natural beans. The first stage of production is approximately the same for both freeze-dried, granular, and powder forms.
- The grains are roasted, ground and poured with hot water.
- The grains are boiled in hermetically sealed containers for several hours, then the accumulated water vapor is removed.
From the next step there is a difference in technology.
To make freeze-dried coffee, boiled coffee grounds placed in freezers instant freezing, and the liquid is removed from the resulting crystals by sublimation in vacuum chambers. In this way, the coffee is frozen, removing the liquid in the process.
The result is a dense and dry coffee mass of light brown color, which is crushed into granules.
At the final stage of production, freeze-dried coffee is saturated with coffee oils and flavors. Manufacturers claim that for expensive varieties Only natural flavors are used, but no one is in a hurry to announce their exact composition, citing trade secrets.
What is granulated coffee?
Granulated coffee is a type of instant coffee that is obtained by quickly drying coffee extract.
The initial stage of granulated coffee production coincides with the freeze-dried type: roasting, grinding and boiling of coffee beans, followed by steam removal.
Then the coffee extract diverges: to obtain granulated coffee, the concentrate is sprayed in an even layer and dried under high pressure. The result is a powdery mass. At the last stage it is treated with steam. Under the influence of water vapor, the powder collects into loose granules with uneven edges. Unlike powdered coffee, granulated coffee does not stick to the spoon.
The main differences between freeze-dried and granulated coffee
As we have seen, the beginning of the production cycle for all types of instant coffee is similar, and natural coffee beans are used as raw materials. What is the difference between the two types of instant coffee?
- Manufacturing technology. Freeze-dried coffee is frozen and dried at the same time, while granulated coffee is only dried under high pressure.
- Appearance. Granulated coffee looks like loose lumps different shapes, and it is much darker in color. Freeze-dried coffee looks like neat pyramids in a pleasant shade of milk chocolate.
- Taste. Freeze-dried coffee is additionally aromatized with natural coffee oils and extracts, so its taste seems richer and deeper than granulated coffee. Anyway, that's it taste characteristics instant coffee is a combination of flavors that are selected by the manufacturer. This has nothing to do with the taste of the natural drink.
As for the caffeine content, granulated and freeze-dried coffee contain approximately the same amount - from 60 to 100 mg per 150 ml cup, which is approximately 15-20% lower than in a natural drink.
As a result of prolonged digestion of grains, most of the essential oils and compounds from them are simply washed away. Therefore, the bouquet of the natural drink is not only richer, but also contains microelements that are absent in the instant ersatz.
Which coffee is better: granulated or freeze-dried?
This question can be answered from different points of view.
In terms of benefits from the drink, there is no difference. Instant coffee is a product of modern industrial production, which is very distantly related to natural drink. In this sense, the freeze-dried and granular types are equally questionable. Suffice it to say that all the latest data on the dangers of coffee for the stomach and digestion were obtained specifically for the instant drink.
Taste. The taste is affected by compliance with technology and the composition of flavors. Freeze-dried coffee is additionally processed with aroma and taste enhancers, so many users find it more enjoyable than granulated coffee. There is another aspect of perception - psychological. Neat, light-colored coffee granules are visually perceived by the brain as carriers of a more pleasant and mild taste than untidy dark lumps of granular coffee.
Appearance. Freeze-dried coffee looks better than granulated coffee, and premium packaging further emphasizes the difference.
Price. Freeze-dried coffee is usually more expensive than granulated coffee.
All other things being equal, freeze-dried coffee is still preferable to granulated coffee. Well-flavored varieties have relatively soft taste and a natural-like aroma.
We wrote in detail about choosing a specific brand of instant coffee in the article.
Conclusion
Granulated coffee differs from freeze-dried coffee:
- Manufacturing technology.
- Appearance.
- At a price.
- Shades of taste and aroma (for some brands).
In conditions where time is equivalent to money, you have to sacrifice a lot to save it. For example, the unsurpassed taste of natural coffee.
Yes, to feel this taste, you need to try hard. Collect, clean and dry them, fry them correctly, grind them, and cook them. A whole ritual with a lot of subtleties and tricks.
What can I say, even if you buy it already assembled, fried and in the store, there is often still not enough time to cook it. And sometimes special knowledge.
You have to be content with instant coffee, which, although inferior in taste and aroma, is prepared in less than a minute and in any conditions. But since we have to compromise, we will choose the best of the alternative proposals. So is it true that freeze-dried coffee is the same as natural coffee?
First, let's figure out what types of instant coffee there are.
- Powder. They do it this way: the grains are treated with a jet for a certain time hot water. Then the resulting infusion is filtered and sprayed in special chambers filled with hot gas. Drops of coffee liquid coagulate, dry, and form a powder.
- Granulated. It is made according to the same principle, but the powder is doused with hot steam, as a result of which granules are formed.
- And, finally, natural freeze-dried coffee, which we will discuss further.
Manufactured using dry freezing technology. The roasted grains are crushed and boiled for three hours in special sealed containers. In this case, the steam does not fly into the air, but is removed in a special way using pipes. It is needed for extraction aromatics, which are contained in the essential oils of coffee beans.
Next, the brewed coffee mass is frozen using technologies quick freezing, and then dehydrated using vacuum under conditions low pressure. The result is a fairly dense briquette. It is crushed and those very irregular pyramid crystals are obtained.
However, these crystals have no aroma, and what is coffee without aroma! Here the manufacturer can go two ways: use essential oils collected from steam or artificial flavors. Needless to say, the second option is much cheaper, but its quality is appropriate.
As we can see, this technology is much more complex and more energy-consuming. Therefore, instant freeze-dried coffee is quite an expensive pleasure compared to granulated and, especially, powdered coffee.
Although this type instant coffee is the best, the quality of coffee produced by different companies varies. The reason may be poor quality raw materials, violation of technology, use of flavorings, etc. The question arises: “Which freeze-dried coffee is better?” Until you try and choose yours, you will not get an answer to this question, since there is no arguing about tastes. But shopping poor quality goods can be avoided if certain factors are taken into account.
- If the packaging is clear, inspect the granules. They should be quite large and light brown in color. There should be no powder at the bottom of the jar, since its presence indicates that the technology was violated during the production process.
- The material from which the packaging is made is not important for the safety of instant coffee. The main thing is that it is airtight. No cracks on transparent packages, rust on metal ones, etc.
- The composition should include coffee and only that. Chicory, barley, “naturally identical” ingredients and other additives have no place there, unless you are intentionally buying coffee with certain properties.
- Compare production and packaging dates. The smaller the difference between them, the better. Moreover, total term storage should not be more than two years.
So, freeze-dried coffee is instant coffee prepared using a special technology that allows you to preserve the maximum possible taste and aromatic qualities for such a “coffee form”. If you don’t have Turks and coffee beans on hand, but only a jar of instant coffee, then let it be freeze-dried.
There are a great many varieties of coffee, there are whole classification systems separating types of coffee, methods of preparing it, varieties chemical composition, techniques for roasting and grinding coffee beans.
For example, instant coffee is divided into the following types according to preparation methods:
- sublimated,
- powder,
- granular.
Making good freeze-dried coffee costs step by step process, which starts with roasting the beans and then grinding them. After the grains turn into a ground mass, they begin to cook in a closed container for about three hours. Then the coffee is allowed to cool, and then placed in special packages in which they are frozen.
Store freeze-dried coffee without packaging at low temperatures This is not possible, as the grains will dry out and lose all their flavor properties.It is by drying it in packaging with cold temperature All the beneficial substances remain in the coffee. When they begin to break such a mass with a special hammer, it breaks up into granules, which people see in glass jars. But that's it coffee process. Since coffee has lost all its essential oils, that is, its aroma, during brewing, the granules need to be processed and added flavoring agents, which allow the invigorating aroma to return.
The benefits of sublimation and the aroma of the powder
Freeze-dried coffee is useful for people with low blood pressure, with vascular diseases and, of course, to maintain the youth of the body, as it contains antioxidants.
Powdered coffee is made from the remains of granules and crystals that remain after the coffee has been prepared for more high level.
Powdered coffee is often compared to dust, which is packaged in small bags and sold at a fairly low price.
The method of its production is quite easy: first the grains are cleaned, then roasted and crushed. After which the resulting mixture is treated with hot water for several hours, and the whole process takes place under the pressure of various atmospheres. The resulting mass was filtered, cooled and dried. And with the help of such a simple scheme, a powder was obtained, which was packaged in small bags. But at the same time, in this form, coffee has practically no useful substances, while in freeze-dried coffee, on the contrary, natural components are preserved.
It is this difference that affects the pricing policy of coffee: the powdered variety has a low price, while the freeze-dried variety costs many times more, since its quality truly meets all standards.
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