O endereço abaixo não existe na globo.com But one thing’s for sure: it’s the new trend in coffee processing How can it be used to improve coffee quality And is it even possible to process coffee without it To answer these questions, I spoke to Carlos Guiraldeli, Post-Harvest Coordinator at O’Coffee a Brazilian farm that produces direct trade specialty coffees He’s heading an experimental program that explores how fermentation can affect coffee quality Lee este artículo en español Fermentación: Qué es & Cómo Mejora la Calidad del Café Coffee dries outside on raised beds at Fazenda Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Pedregulho, São Paulo, Brazil. Credit: O’Coffee Let’s take a trip back to our high school science class: fermentation is a chemical reaction and other microorganisms causes a substance to break down into other simpler substances the substances that get broken down are sugars different kinds of enzymes can catalyze this event fermentation is a natural change that happens when you put sugar and water together – and coffee cherries are full of both just after the cherries are picked (or sometimes before fermentation can improve a coffee’s flavor or ruin it It’s just a matter of how you deal with it Workers rake drying coffee at Fazenda Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Pedregulho, São Paulo, Brazil. Credit: O’Coffee Fermentation is a key part of post-harvest coffee processing “The anaerobic processes are more homogeneous and easier to monitor and the aerobics are more heterogeneous and more complex to monitor” You might also like How Does Coffee Fermentation Affect Flavour Development? But you don’t have to just pick one or the other they experiment with both aerobic and anaerobic processing and sometimes they even “start with the aerobic process and finish with the anaerobic process.” There are many approaches to fermentation and the more we experiment  Coffee dries under the sun at Fazenda Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Pedregulho, São Paulo, Brazil. Credit: O’Coffee there are many different potential outcomes uncontrolled fermentation can lead to moldy or even chemical flavors in coffee – which is why it’s so important that the producer understands the process Carlos tells me that O’Coffee experiments with fermentation to “amplify [their] range of products and be able to provide [their] clients with coffees with distinct flavors exotic coffees… Basically refining the sweetness and also adding distinguished sensorial notes Britta Folmer writes in The Craft and Science of Coffee “[Removing mucilage via] underwater fermentation is said to emphasize acidity and aroma and to dismiss some astringency Pulped naturals or honey processed coffee consists of a process combining the wet and dry methods Mucilage is not or only partially removed that may allow for some degree of limited fermentation at the drying stage This can generate some special sweet flavors “An over-extended fermentation time can be linked to a substantial loss of sensory quality… attributes like acidity body and sweetness can be significantly diminished.” Fermentation tanks at Fazenda Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Pedregulho, São Paulo, Brazil. Credit: O’Coffee Producers can choose many different ways to ferment their coffee there is still plenty to learn and experimentation can help improve quality Carlos tells me that they follow these processes: not allowing this value to be lower than that.” every difference in the method produces a different result We are able to raise these coffees’ scores by about three [cupping] points “It’s important to highlight that it’s not only about the grade; the complexity of these coffees is also enhanced The sensorial description of these coffees become richer and more complex.” Anaerobic fermentation at Fazenda Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Pedregulho, São Paulo, Brazil. Credit: O’Coffee But great coffee isn’t just high-quality: it’s also consistently high-quality This adds security for coffee buyers and roasters as well as for producers Carlos tells me that you cannot always predict the results of experiments with coffee fermentation You might also like: Micro Lot Coffee: How to Limit Risks & Improve Quality Producers should understand the processes behind fermentation They should be trained in quality analysis so that they can evaluate the impact of their experiments – and change them They should know their processes and follow them precisely; this will help ensure both quality and consistency And they should record data both during and after fermentation Carlos underscores the importance of being aware of brix the easier it is to use fermentation to achieve consistently high-quality coffee fermentation can spell disaster for producers It’s simply a matter of choosing whether to limit it or embrace it Enjoyed this? Check out How Does Coffee Fermentation Affect Flavour Development? Feature photo: Anaerobic fermentation at Fazenda Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Pedregulho, São Paulo, Brazil. Feature photo credit: O’Coffee Please note: This article has been sponsored by O’Coffee Want to read more articles like this? Sign up for our newsletter! Ivan is a Social Media content manager and staff writer at Perfect Daily Grind Want to receive the latest coffee news and educational resources A study of 100 years of social housing in Brazil uncovers high-quality projects during the Vargas era who also designed the Pedregulho Housing Project in the early 1950s: social projects with historical and aesthetic importance INÊS BONDUKI world-known architects and architectural landmarks in the twentieth century—Oscar Niemeyer and Brasília being at the top of the list—there is a large body of work in the area of social housing that is little known and more or less at the margins of official history Not that these works are not visible or numerically insignificant They are located in cities throughout Brazil and their history constitutes a narrative with breaks in addition to having created a valuable repertoire of technical and formal experiments in architecture and urban planning The objective of illuminating and cataloging the history of social housing in Brazil which has existed here for just over 100 years (since 1912) led to the preparation of the recently released 3-volume book Os pioneiros da habitação social (The pioneers of social housing) by Nabil Bonduki architect and professor at the University of São Paulo School of Architecture and Urban Planning (USP-FAU) and a São Paulo city councilor as a member of the Workers’ Party (PT) is dedicated to the period stretching from 1930 to 1964 which spans from President Getúlio Vargas’ first term to the military coup “Back then there was a social housing cycle linked to the principles of modern urban planning,” says Bonduki While the 100 years of social housing began with a federal government project in Marechal Hermes a neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro—that managed to complete 165 houses despite great opposition—the Vargas era established a new culture and a different approach “The idea of the social function of housing was established; the State took on the role of addressing urban issues,” says Bonduki “And modernism became the language of this new period.” Os pioneiros da habitação social addresses both the foundations and practices of Brazilian housing policy over a century and the architectural advances and setbacks during the same period published jointly by Editora Unesp and Edições Sesc SP has a total of 1,208 pages illustrated with photos and figures Cem anos de política pública no Brasil (100 years of public policy in Brazil) recounts and comments on the history of public housing in Brazil The projects built by the social security institutes responsible for public housing during the Vargas era are addressed in detail in the second part Inventário da produção pública no Brasil entre 1930 e 1964 (Catalog of public projects in Brazil between 1930 and 1964) coauthored by the architect and urban planner Ana Paula Koury surveys and documents 322 projects (in 24 states) during the period and includes figures of each in comparative scales Onze propostas de morar para o Brasil moderno (Eleven housing proposals for modern Brazil) with three-dimensional models of the original designs and photo essays by Bob Wolfenson Bob Wolfenson / Os pioneiros da Habitação Social Paquetá housing project in Rio and building from the early years of the construction of Brasília: past attempts to harmonize buildings and their environmentsBob Wolfenson / Os pioneiros da Habitação Social The roots of this study can be found in Bonduki’s master’s and PhD research at FAU submitted in the 1990s and supported by FAPESP which led to the publication of the book As origens da habitação social no Brasil (The origins of social housing in Brazil) published by Estação Liberdade in 1998 and now in its 6th edition on the transformation of Brazilian cities in the Vargas era Bonduki identified important architectural projects built during the period that had rarely been studied His interest in increasing the historiography on the topic grew from that seed focusing on “studying Brazilian modern architecture and how it related to social housing.” The research project spanned 17 years (1997-2013) at USP initially at the São Carlos School of Engineering and later at FAU many of whom then carried out their own studies on topics arising during the process The key stage of the study was a complete field survey of social housing production from 1930 to 1964—the second of the three volumes of the book The two large phases of the study received support from FAPESP was selected through a public call for proposals promoted by Petrobras in the area of cultural heritage and documentation The research was carried out together with the team of Professor Carlos Ferreira Martins director of the Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning at USP São Carlos (cited on the inner flap of volume 2) who questioned the traditional historical approach to Brazilian modernist architecture the trajectory of “more traditional” architecture represents a historical contribution as important as that of established names such as Niemeyer INÊS BONDUKI / OS PIONEIROS DA HABITAÇÃO SOCIALConcentration of housing projects in São Paulo’s east side… INÊS BONDUKI / OS PIONEIROS DA HABITAÇÃO SOCIAL Even an architect normally included in this group was not well known for his work on social housing despite being the designer of projects of great historical and aesthetic importance such as the serpentine Gávea and Pedregulho projects Reidy was married to the engineer and theorist Carmen Portinho another cardinal name in the history of Brazilian social housing Portinho was director of the Department of Public Housing—linked to the office of the mayor of the Federal District (Rio de Janeiro at the time) it was one of the few regional agencies that carried out important projects during Vargas’ first term (1937-1945)—and later during Vargas’ second term (1952-1954) she was a member of the Central Board of the Public Housing Foundation Forgotten by historiography One of the architects “missing from the dominant historiography,” according to Bonduki who spent his entire career at the Industrial Retirement and Pension Institute (IAPI) the public agency that was most prominent in producing housing during the Vargas period He led the Architecture and Design Sector and six months before his death,” says Bonduki “No one knew where he was until I located him in the hills of Nova Friburgo Ferreira summarized IAPI’s central concern as “putting housing units within the reach of the majority of members with modest salaries establishing the lowest price without sacrificing necessary hygiene and comfort levels.” This advanced concern was in consonance with the principles established by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier in 1933 at the International Congress for Modern Architecture the idea that housing “was not just a living unit,” but also included public spaces such as squares and schools this concept encountered huge obstacles in Brazil “The issues that had to be addressed were basic such as the lack of standards for producing a simple brick—whose size depended on the origin—which made it difficult to build large-scale projects,” writes Bonduki Another important architect from this period was Rubens Porto who established general directives for the social security institutes and recommendations for construction of housing projects Porto published a book containing a series of solutions for these buildings which involved streamlining of all processes delivery of furnished homes and a type of multifamily building with four floors most of the projects developed by the institutes had clear ideas of urban integration and the rational and industrial use of materials “It’s difficult to pinpoint the existence of a housing policy during the period but there were simultaneous actions that fit together,” says Bonduki “The scenario consisted of several institutes with their own characteristics and teams trying to ensure modernization and lower costs.” A “specialized techno-bureaucracy” formed together with engineering departments capable of formulating solutions for the challenges of creating low-cost At a time when today’s construction companies did not exist like “large architectural firms” and “practical laboratories.” Ministry of Cities / CEF… and Iguaçu Park in Curitiba: low quality both in terms of urban planning and architectural designMinistry of Cities / CEF Low-income population According to Bonduki’s study the notable advances in architecture and urban planning and the creation of an inspiring legacy did not result in corresponding achievements in access to housing by low-income families In the context of the transition from an agrarian society based principally on the export of agricultural goods to an urban industrial in which the government’s role became to protect the worker private initiatives in the field of housing were discouraged by the Tenant Act of 1942 the effect was positive for the low-income population because it significantly decreased the percentage of their salaries spent on housing combined with the intense urbanization of Brazil (8 million city-dwellers in 1930 grew to 32 million in 1960) lack of public services and a wave of evictions social security institutes did not even come close to meeting the population’s housing needs “The solution for the low-income population was to take construction into their own hands establishing the model we see now,” says Bonduki Bonduki believes it was the “end point” of the experiments in the 1930s to 1950s with its superblocks resembling the housing projects designed in the 1940s the social security institutes had an important role in building these residential areas New programs From the political point of view the inauguration of the new capital took place during the wave of vitality in the fields of architecture and urban planning a proposal called for the unification of the social security institutes into a single agency and the transfer of part of its resources to an institution that would be established specifically to meet universal housing needs The management of the institutes themselves which would have deprived them of resources and privileges “its failure set the formulation of a consistent housing policy back by 20 years.” The plans were resumed in the early years after the 1964 military coup when the pension funds were abolished upon the creation of the Brazilian Social Pension Institute (INPS later replaced by the INSS) and the National Housing Bank (BNH) focusing on construction and financing of housing meaning that it worked directly with other banks when it was incorporated into the Federal Savings Bank together with the dismantling of structures by the 1964 coup removed from the scene those dedicated to social housing policy that really met the needs of the population housing units were sold to the future inhabitant and while there was emphasis and success in mass production (4.2 million residences) the quality of the projects suffered greatly the acronym was known as a synonym of ugly important experiences at the municipal level foreshadowed a series of advances in urban and housing policy of the Ministry of Cities and of the National Housing Fund strengthened by favorable demographic conditions such as the ending of the cycle of migration from the countryside to the cities and the reduction in the rate of population growth led to the establishment in 2009 of the federal program My House healthy system of financing and subsidies with its own sources.” But he affirms that “they tried to tie job creation and economic growth to the housing agenda without dealing with land-ownership and urban questions generating contradictory results.” Bonduki forecasts increasing problems related to mobility He believes the government must urgently focus on quality rather than quantity and in order to do this it needs to seriously address the land-ownership problem Project The pioneers of social housing in Brazil (No. 2012/50030-0); Grant Mechanism Publication grant; Principal investigator Nabil Bonduki (FAU-USP); Investment R$40,000.00 (FAPESP) © Revista Pesquisa FAPESP - All rights reserved. Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world A worker prunes coffee plants in Pedregulho 2025 at 1:47 PM ESTBookmarkSaveBrazilian coffee exporters owned by Montesanto Tavares Group Participações SA filed for bankruptcy protection after extreme market volatility left the companies cash-strapped