Ask the experts: Storing coffee
Q: "Some years ago we were told to store ground coffee in the freezer. Seems reasonable: surely this would slow down the evaporation and/or decomposition of the things that are supposed to give the coffee its flavour? But now we're told to store it in a cool place, not in the freezer. Why not the freezer?"
FrankA: We spoke to Paddy Kennedy, coffee roaster at Caffe L'affare Ltd. He said:
"Coffee, especially ground coffee, is hygroscopic (a fancy way of saying it attracts moisture). Storing coffee in the refrigerator or freezer makes it particularly susceptible to moisture, especially when it is removed from the freezer and begins to thaw. Exposing coffee to moisture causes a rapid loss of aroma and flavour. To preserve the aroma of coffee it should be stored away from oxygen, heat and light. The change in opinion in this matter could be put down to a greater focus on freshness and quality in the coffee industry over the past 10 years."
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Min Saw
APD, B Nutr Diet (Hons)
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