09/29/2024 – 21:45
Coffee production in Brazil is beginning to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to improve the quality and traceability of the bean, in an initiative led by the cooperatives Minasul and Cooxupé, in partnership with the Singaporean startup ProfilePrint. The technology seeks to replace traditional sensory evaluation methods, offering fast and accurate analyzes of the composition and quality of the grains.
ProfilePrint CEO Alan Lai explains that the technology captures more than 10,000 grain characteristics in seconds, providing a detailed digital analysis of the sample. “It’s like turning the coffee into a fingerprint, capturing the flavor profile and other important attributes,” he said.
The technology detects visual and non-visual defects, such as mold and unwanted fermentation, which are difficult to identify, avoiding rejections on the international market. “The identification of these non-visual defects avoids losses for producers and exporters”, he added.
The same technology uses a scanner that, in seconds, collects molecular data from the coffee and processes it using AI, resulting in a detailed report on the composition and characteristics of the bean.
ProfilePrint’s country manager in Brazil, Nicholas Yamada, highlighted that the simplicity of the operation democratizes access to technology. “Anyone can operate the machine, which allows producers of all sizes to make their own assessments,” he said.
The portability of the equipment is another point highlighted by the company. The size of a portable coffee maker, the machine allows for field testing, reducing the need to send beans to specialized laboratories and speeding up the evaluation process.
“The machine can be easily transported and used on farms, laboratories or offices, providing flexibility in evaluation,” highlighted Yamada.
The advancement of AI comes at a critical time for the Brazilian coffee sector, which is facing the entry into force of more stringent regulations on traceability, especially the European Union’s Anti-Deforestation Law, scheduled to come into force on December 30, 2024. The new Legislation requires coffee producers to provide detailed information about the origin of the product and ensure that it is not associated with deforested areas.
Lai highlighted that, although the technology was not developed specifically to comply with legislation, it can contribute to the traceability process. “Our technology offers a detailed view of the grain composition, which helps verify the quality and origin of the product. We still cannot issue sustainability certifications”, stated the CEO of ProfilePrint.
Although ProfilePrint is already present in around 60 locations, in countries such as Colombia and Guatemala, Brazil stands out as a strategic market for the company.
“As the largest coffee exporter in the world, Brazil offers an ideal scenario, and partnerships with cooperatives such as Cooxupé and Minasul represent just the beginning of a transformation in the sector”, stated the CEO.
This is not the first time that the Asian company has established partnerships in Brazil. In February, agreements were also closed with big names in agribusiness, such as Louis Dreyfus Company Brasil, Olam Agrícola and Sucafina Brasil.
According to the CEO, ProfilePrint’s technology also has the potential to be applied to other agricultural crops, including processed food ingredients and commodities.
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