Coffea Canephora (Robusta Coffee)
Posted by admin on 05 Dec 2006 at 06:02 am | Tagged as: Beans
Coffea canephora (Robusta Coffee; syn. Coffea robusta) is a species of coffee which has its origins in western Africa. It is grown mostly in Africa and Brazil, where it is often called Conillon. It is also grown in Southeast Asia where French colonists introduced the crop to Vietnam in the late 19th Century and now has exports second to Brazil. It is easier to care for than Coffea arabica and hence is cheaper to produce. Since arabica beans are considered superior, robusta is usually limited to lower grade coffee blends as a filler. It is however included in instant coffee, and in espresso blends to promote the formation of “crema”. Robusta has about twice the amount of caffeine compared to arabica. Approximately one third of the coffee produced in the world is robusta.