Mucilage?
Yes, Mucilage, with a C and an accent on the i, may sound very difficult to pronounce. Its onomatopoeia could even lead us to say a completely different word in everyday use. However, in the world of coffee, it's an essential term derived from the same fruit or cherry produced by the coffee plant or coffee tree. According to the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), the term comes from the late Latin word mucilage (translatable as "mucus"), which is considered a viscous fluid found in certain parts of some plants. Have you ever heard this term?
Some general aspects
Mucilage can be found in roots or seeds, depending on the plant. In the case of seeds, it helps them germinate, subsequently protecting them with a moist, viscous coating. This pulp offers significant benefits for human health, serving a variety of purposes, such as preventing constipation, lowering cholesterol, and treating diseases like cancer and diabetes. It also has prebiotic effects, promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in our intestines. It is also useful for irritants such as gastritis, indigestion, or heartburn. Its flavor can be acidic, similar to soursop or lemon, and it is commonly used in vinegars, ice cream, and jams.
Mucilage and coffee
Mucilage corresponds to the part of the fruit called the mesocarp and is found when pulping the coffee bean as a gelatinous layer that covers the seed . In the case of washed mild coffees, this mucilage must be removed from the beans through a fermentation and washing process. Many coffee producers today are innovating in this step, and mucilage becomes a fundamental element in the production of honey coffee, allowing it to ferment and dry without washing.
The normal fermentation process causes the sugars in the mucilage to break down over a period of 12 to 40 hours, during which time it imparts the flavors that eventually characterize the cup of coffee. It is then washed with clean water, and the molasses are discarded. This is where one of the most intense environmental problems facing the coffee industry begins to arise, as this mucilage, which is not easily soluble, contaminates rivers and streams surrounding the farms. In other cases, this part of the coffee seed is treated to convert it into fertilizer and reintroduce it into the soil, improving coffee growing conditions. The more concentrated the mucilage, the better its quality as a fertilizer. Due to its high content of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium, it has been a good alternative to combat periods of coffee rust.
The new production
After several investigations and analyses of the properties of mucilage, the coffee industry itself has reconsidered its production, as initially 60% of the seed is discarded, as only 40% is actually coffee, and that's the part we use. Initially, it was used as animal feed, and today we can call it a coffee byproduct for human consumption, with many nutritional and nutritional properties based on its honey, as it can be consumed pure or as an energy supplement that can be easily diluted in hot or cold water, obtaining a 100% natural beverage with zero added sugars. Perhaps we could go a little deeper, and we're already seeing all kinds of sweets, candies, and coatings on the market using this honey, perfect elements to accompany a good coffee moment.
In Colombia and Latin America, these byproducts derived from the coffee harvest are being widely used in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and beverages. For example, coffee pulp can be used as fertilizer, for food preservation, and even as coffee husk tea. Also, parchment is being used to make flour and other baked goods, as it is rich in fiber and gluten-free.
Returning to coffee honey, it meets high quality standards in our country due to its great antioxidant capacity. It is used not only for human consumption but also for healing, coughs, respiratory infections, acne, diabetes, and the restoration of bacterial flora, among other things.
We already know that we don't sweeten coffee, but we can accompany it with a cookie, bread, or toast and cover it with coffee honey. According to some scientific studies, they have been able to conclude that "Coffee honey has seven times more antioxidants than grapes, five times more than green tea, and 20 times more than some types of blueberries," which leads us to believe that we can incorporate coffee honey into any preparation , if we are willing to take the risk of experimenting with new flavors.