Behind the brew: the technical evolution of coffee extraction

Modern extraction technologies enable coffee manufacturers to navigate the delicate balance between yield and quality and offer innovative alternatives to traditional batch processes. For example, with continuous extraction systems like GEA’s CONTEX, CARINE and FIC, the industry is embracing a new era of precision engineering, where automation and efficiency are no longer at odds with flavor and authenticity. The result? Smarter versions of that array of spray dried and freeze-dried products and cartons, cans or bottles of ready-to-drink cold- or hot-brewed coffees we know and love.

Rethinking extraction: from batch to continuous

For decades, batch extraction has been the norm in coffee processing. However, its limitations – long processing times, inconsistent results and resource inefficiency – are becoming more apparent as global demand intensifies and sustainability pressures mount.

Enter continuous extraction. This method, which is now gaining traction across the coffee and herbal extract industries, transforms extraction into a streamlined, scalable and environmentally conscious process. The GEA CONTEX system exemplifies this evolution, integrating four extraction stages in a single, continuous counter-current flow. This design allows for more efficient extraction at lower temperatures, reducing energy and water consumption while maintaining the nuanced flavors and aromas that define quality coffee.

In fact, solutions such as GEA CONTEX can produce 8-10% solids extracts, reducing the need for energy-intensive post-processing steps such as evaporation. For coffee producers, this means faster turnaround, lower utility costs and higher consistency – all vital factors as the global coffee supply chain becomes increasingly competitive.

Precision yield with aroma integrity

In the past, producers often had to choose between high yield and high quality. The GEA CARINE system challenges that trade-off. By incorporating 10 percolator columns – two more than its predecessor – it operates at temperatures of up to 195 °C to unlock up to 60% extraction yield, without sacrificing the delicate aromatic compounds consumers associate with premium coffee.

The innovation lies in the two-stage process. First, aroma-rich extracts are obtained at lower temperatures. These are then separated from the later, high-temperature hydrolysis extracts, ensuring optimal flavor preservation. This capability to separate and manage different extraction fractions helps producers fine-tune the flavor profile, enabling greater product diversity and appeal in a market where quality differentiation is at the forefront.

Resource efficiency built in

Sustainability is a nonnegotiable factor in coffee production. With climate change threatening coffee-growing regions and consumer awareness around environmental impact increasing, the push for resource-efficient processing has become stronger than ever.

GEA’s extraction systems are designed with environmental performance in mind. Continuous plug-flow extraction reduces raw material and water consumption, while integrated heat recovery systems help lower energy use. In some configurations, spent coffee grounds can even be repurposed as biofuel, further contributing to efforts surrounding the circular economy.

Further, compact system designs like CONTEX reduce building height requirements, improving safety and reducing facility costs. Automated operation not only minimizes staffing but also reduces the risk of operator error and contamination, which are important factors in ensuring product quality and regulatory compliance.

Test, validate, scale

One of the cornerstones of successful adoption of new technology is process validation, and here GEA’s state-of-the-art test centers provide manufacturers with a unique opportunity to simulate full-scale extraction lines before implementation. From measuring yield to optimizing drying conditions for spray or freeze drying, GEA enables a data-driven approach to scaling up operations.

Pilot facilities such as the CONTEX and CARINE systems allow producers to validate performance in real time, helping to hedge against risk and accelerate time-to-market. This hands-on approach is crucial to the process of taking innovation from concept to commercial reality.

Brewing the future

With rising demand, changing consumer preferences and increasing sustainability mandates in the coffee market, the next generation of extraction systems is not only about yield. It’s also about preserving flavor, optimizing resources and enhancing flexibility.

GEA’s suite of extraction solutions – including CONTEX, FIC and CARINE – reflects a broader shift in how coffee is produced. This model is more efficient, more resource efficient and more attuned to quality than ever before. In a world where every bean – and every drop of coffee – counts, these innovations are helping shape the future of coffee from the inside out.