The toasting procedure

The toasting procedure is an experience and passion passed from generation to generation.
 

With highly advanced technology we maintain a constant quality throughout time. The toasting procedure uses warm air currents (around 240°c) to envelop the beans that are being constantly lightly shaken inside large containers. The main transformations that the seed undergoes during this phase are: loss of weight (due to the evaporation of water and other volatile substances), formation of a browny black colour (due to the carbonization of cellulose and caramelization of sugars), the appearance on the beans’ surface of a browny oil (caffeone) – that determines the characteristic aroma, increase in volume, and finally a light loss of caffeine due to the heat. The higher the temperature at which the toasting occurs, the more caffeine is lost from the bean.
 

In Italy, the toasting procedure is often pushed to the limit, therefore the drink results in being very aromatic and relatively low in caffeine, especially in comparison to the coffee often drunken in other countries.
 

The toasting can increase the friability of the product and make it easier to grind. Humidity absorption capability also increases therefore the coffee, especially if already ground, must be conserved in either airtight packaging or packaging filled with inert gas. Personnel with extensive experience and practice on the matter execute these processes. It is not by chance that we only allow specialized tasters the duty of defining the correct doses of coffee (both toasted as well as raw) required to produce the different blends that are later offered on the market. It is complex job that requires specific technical capabilities and an open mind to continuous research. It was also not an accident that Incas coffee obtained the certification of ENI UNI ISO 9001.