Green Coffee Bean Defects

Green Coffee Grading and Classification

The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) has established an excellent method of grading green coffee. Green coffee beans are classified by standards that can be used by producers, brokers and roasters to achieve a consistent grading and evaluation process. Here we look at some of the defects that may occur in green coffee beans.

Green Coffee Bean Defect Chart

This standardized classification method is based on green coffee bean samples of 350 grams. When analyzing green coffee samples, the following chart may be used to establish defect equivalents in order to properly understand the grade of a given sample.

Table Of Defects and Equivalents
Defect	# of beans	Defect	# of beans
Full Black Full Sour Dried Cherry/Pod Fungus Damage Foreign Matter Severe Insect Damage	1 1 1 1 1 5	Partial Black Partial Sour Parchment/Pergamino Floater Immature/Unripe Withered Shell Broken/Chipped/Cut Hull/Husk Slight Insect Damage	3 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 10