Application of ionizing radiation in the monsooning of coffee for quality upgradation

Arabica and Robusta coffee beans subjected to different doses of gamma and electron irradiation showed disinfestation at 0.25 kGy, whereas, beans treated with 5 and 10 kGy dose showed complete elimination of mycoflora and exhibited better moisture uptake, decrease in weight/volume ratio and accelerated monsooning. Improvement in shelf-life, lowering of acidity and mycotoxins in the irradiated beans were the other positive changes reported in the study. No other significant changes in the physico-chemical properties were observed in the irradiated beans over the non-irradiated beans. (author)