Packaging attempts to circumvent or overcome the stalling of coffee. It does not keep old coffee fresh though it is claimed that it slows down the staling for an unbelievably long time. Most of the advantages are perceived by the consumer based on sizeable advertising programs. Though it appears that a valve, at least under ideal conditions, lets little air into the bag. Well, less than the bag would have had when it was sealed. Vacuum sealing reduces the air and moisture in the bags but that requires more equipment and time. The valve does let out the CO2 but it also lets the aroma escape. The vented bag will have a lower internal pressure, than say a metal container. The lower pressure exacerbates the loss of volatile compounds which are the reason for that olfactory experience. To circumvent that loss some companies replace the vent by Oxygen and/or CO2 scavengers.
"Espresso Coffee" by Illy & Viani states that the spoilage rate increases by 7 fold with every 10°C increase in temperature. Unfortunately there is no mention if that calculation starts at absolute zero. It is an unmeasured and uncontrolled variable that very much affects the coffee experience.
A lot of money was invested into the marketing of various types of packages because the business model of central roasters depends on convincing customers that coffee that is more than a year old still has the freshness of yesterday's roast.
I view the valve as a packaging solution which does not contribute much to maintaining the roasted bean's fresh taste. My only acceptable solution is to buy the freshest coffee from a local roaster. An exception, in Canada, is Freshcup.ca which ships, via expedited post, the day the coffee is roasted. On several occasions I have sent some much appreciated coffee gifts. It could be perceived that I am biased because they use our roaster though I maintain that the long relationship has allowed me to observe closely the organization and witness their commitment to delivering the freshest great tasting organic coffee to their customers.
I view the valve as a packaging solution which does not contribute much to maintaining the roasted bean's fresh taste. My only acceptable solution is to buy the freshest coffee from a local roaster. An exception, in Canada, is Freshcup.ca which ships, via expedited post, the day the coffee is roasted. On several occasions I have sent some much appreciated coffee gifts. It could be perceived that I am biased because they use our roaster though I maintain that the long relationship has allowed me to observe closely the organization and witness their commitment to delivering the freshest great tasting organic coffee to their customers.
