This invention discloses an integrated micro-aqueous degumming and peeling method for fresh coffee cherries, belonging to the field of fresh coffee cherry
processing technology. The method includes: micro-aqueous degumming of fresh cherries using a pretreatment solution containing
sodium citrate and
sodium chloride; biological degumming using a specialized composite degumming
enzyme composed of
pectinase,
cellulase, and
calcium chloride; adding
chitosan to the
wastewater after rinsing for composite coagulation, followed by
solid-liquid separation to obtain recycled water; and finally
drying to obtain coffee beans in their shells. This invention utilizes
sodium citrate to chelate
calcium bridges to degrade the
pectin cross-linking structure and sodium
chloride to compress the double electric layer and reduce
slurry viscosity, achieving efficient
mass transfer and rapid degumming under micro-aqueous conditions. Furthermore, it utilizes residual salts to achieve pH anchoring and
ionic strength regulation, promoting the formation of a dense aggregated phase between
pectin degradation products and
chitosan, solving the industry problems of difficult micro-aqueous
system treatment and unstable recycled water reuse. This invention reduces
water consumption by more than 90% compared to traditional washing methods, achieves thorough degumming, preserves the complete
flavor of coffee beans, has low equipment costs, and enables sustainable closed-loop production, making it suitable for industrial application in small-scale
coffee processing plants.