Natural processing dries the whole coffee cherry before the husk is removed. It is taught within CQI’s Post-Harvest Processing (PHP) program. The current course list does not establish a separate “Q Processing – Natural Certificate.” Use this guide to learn the method and choose a documented course.
What CQI processing education actually offers
CQI offers processing classes and Generalist, Professional and Expert certificate courses. Natural processing is one of the methods taught.
The current course progression and September 2025 PHP guidebook do not list the standalone award named in this page’s old label. Check the exact course and certificate with CQI before enrolling.
Intro to Processing covers natural, honey, mechanically demucilaged, fully washed and wet hulled methods. It is a non-certificate class with a participation award. Confirm its schedule with the instructor.
| Level | Course | Format and length | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | Intro to Processing (105) | Introductory class; confirm the advertised schedule | No — participation award |
| 200 | Processing Generalist | 2 days in person (3 with translation), or up to 15 days online | Yes, written exam |
| 300 | Arabica / Canephora Professional | 6 days (7 with translation), in a producing country during harvest | Yes, theoretical and practical tests |
| 400 | Processing Expert | About one year: remote semester, field intensive, capstone project | Yes, invitation-only |
Sources: Course Progression (CQI) — Education course progression page; Post-Harvest Processing Courses (CQI) — Course descriptions; Post-Harvest Processing Program Guidebook V.092025 (CQI) — Effective September 2025; supersedes prior policies
What 'natural' and 'washed' actually tell you about a coffee
Both terms describe an order of operations: which fruit layers were removed, and whether that happened before or after drying. Natural (dry process) dries the whole cherry and removes the dried husk afterwards; fully washed removes skin, pulp and mucilage before drying.
Codex describes the dry process as drying cherries, using sunlight or machines, before removing the dried husk to produce natural green coffee. The whole fruit is present during drying.
For washed coffee, pulp and remaining mucilage are removed before drying in parchment, followed by hulling. Mucilage can be removed through fermentation or mechanical methods and washing. Codex separately describes pulped beans dried with mucilage still present before hulling as semi-washed. Use your CQI course’s terminology when comparing its five named methods.
These Codex definitions provide technical background, not CQI’s exam wording. A process record establishes the handling sequence; it does not supply a sensory evaluation of the resulting coffee.
- Natural: whole cherry dries before the husk is removed.
- Washed: pulp and mucilage are removed before drying in parchment.
- Codex semi-washed route: pulped beans dry with mucilage remaining before hulling.
Sources: Post-Harvest Processing Program Guidebook V.092025 (CQI) — Effective September 2025; supersedes prior policies; Codex Code of Practice CAC/RCP 69-2009 — Ochratoxin A Contamination in Coffee (FAO/WHO) — Section 2, definitions based on ISO 3509
Read a lot record like a processor
CQI's courses ask you to explain how processing methods are carried out, so practice the core skill on paper first: given a record of what was done to a lot, state which process it is and which fruit layers were present during drying.
A fictional record states that whole cherries dried intact before the dried husk was mechanically removed. That matches the dry route for natural coffee. The record identifies the sequence without supplying a quality judgment.
Now compare three fictional records. Focus on pulp, mucilage and parchment; this exercise does not require you to infer every seed-coat detail.
Practice task
Classify three fictional records using the definitions above. Which of pulp, mucilage and parchment remains around the seed during drying? Lot 1: cherries pulped in water; remaining mucilage removed by fermentation and washing; beans dried in parchment, then hulled. Lot 2: whole cherries dried intact; dried husk removed mechanically. Lot 3: cherries pulped; beans dried with mucilage adhering to parchment; hulled afterwards.
Show answer
Lot 1: washed; parchment remains during drying, with pulp and mucilage removed. Lot 2: natural; the whole cherry dries, including pulp, mucilage and parchment around the seed. Lot 3: the Codex semi-washed route; pulp is removed, while mucilage and parchment remain during drying.
Match removal order to the definitions. Whole-fruit drying before dehusking identifies natural processing. Removing pulp and mucilage before drying in parchment identifies the washed route. Pulping followed by drying with mucilage still present matches Codex’s semi-washed definition. These records do not establish cup quality, fermentation duration or safe operating conditions.
Sources: Post-Harvest Processing Program Guidebook V.092025 (CQI) — Effective September 2025; supersedes prior policies; Codex Code of Practice CAC/RCP 69-2009 — Ochratoxin A Contamination in Coffee (FAO/WHO) — Section 2, definitions based on ISO 3509
Choosing the right course for your background
There is no prerequisite for Processing Generalist. Processing Professional requires the Generalist certificate unless you process coffee on a farm annually, and Processing Expert is invitation-only for Professional holders.
Processing Generalist targets the consuming side of the chain — roasters, retailers, baristas and importers — and is taught through lectures, group activities and comparative cupping, in person or online. The online version is live and spread over up to 15 days; it is the same content and testing as the classroom course, and you may need to arrange your own cupping at home or a local facility. To sit the online exam you must attend all modules, complete the cuppings and submit your cupping forms, and finish the post-course evaluation.
Processing Professional is a six-day field course held in a producing country during harvest, aimed at people working regularly with post-harvest processing. Instructors monitor the prerequisite during enrollment: if you do not work on coffee processing at a farm annually, plan on completing Generalist first. Processing Expert runs about a year in three parts and requires an invitation extended to Professional certificate holders.
CQI’s FAQ gives a minimum registration age of 16, subject to applicable local age requirements. Instructors set course fees; request a complete quote and confirm materials, tastings, assessments and retake costs.
- Working with coffee regularly but not at origin: Processing Generalist, in person or online
- Working on a farm or mill during harvest: Processing Professional (Arabica or Canephora)
- Holding a Professional certificate and invited by CQI: Processing Expert
Sources: Post-Harvest Processing Program Guidebook V.092025 (CQI) — Effective September 2025; supersedes prior policies; FAQs (CQI) — Processing Program section
Assessment facts, validity and retakes
Generalist is tested by a written multiple-choice exam and awards a permanent certificate at 75% or higher with full participation. Professional combines theoretical and practical tests, awards a 36-month certificate, and is renewed through a CQI continuing education seminar.
The guidebook’s Professional overview mentions a 75% course-assessment minimum, while individual tests have different passing requirements. You must satisfy the applicable theoretical and practical tests; do not treat 75% as a universal mark for every test.
Retake rules differ by level. Generalist students get two retake opportunities within 18 months of the original course; Professional students get two within 24 months, and retakes must happen in a course of the same level. Instructors verify retake eligibility before administering exams and can deny admission to a retaker.
If you dispute a grade, contact the instructor first; formal appeals must be filed within six months of the course's last day.
- Generalist: written exam, 75% minimum with full participation, certificate does not expire
- Professional: theoretical and practical tests, 36-month certificate, renewed via one CQI continuing education seminar within the renewal window
- Grade appeals: up to six months after the last course day
| Item | Processing Generalist | Professional (Arabica / Canephora) |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment | Written multiple-choice exam | Theoretical and practical tests |
| Overall requirement | Minimum 75% in the course assessment | Minimum 75% in the course assessment; individual test thresholds vary |
| Validity | Permanent, no expiration | 36 months, renewed by a CQI continuing education seminar |
| Retakes | 2 opportunities within 18 months | 2 opportunities within 24 months |
Sources: Post-Harvest Processing Program Guidebook V.092025 (CQI) — Effective September 2025; supersedes prior policies; FAQs (CQI) — Processing Program section; CQI PHP Guidebook V.092025: retake timeframes and certificate expiration, pages 13–14 — https://database.coffeeinstitute.org/api/s3proxy/get/coffee/files/qzz15xywm1/PHP%20Program%20Guidebook%20V.092025.pdf#page=14
Preparing for natural processing content
Build the vocabulary and the removal-order skill before class; the exams at certificate level test knowledge and applied reasoning, and paper preparation alone cannot substitute for the field practicals at Professional level.
These are preparation suggestions based on the processing topics. Use them to identify questions and gaps before class; paper study does not replace the Professional field practicals.
- Learn the difference between fruit layers and processing operations.
- Explain the natural sequence from whole-cherry drying to husk removal.
- Compare the three supplied records and identify any missing processing stage.
- Ask the trainer to walk through a real lot record and its quality-control observations.
- Confirm the exact course, entry arrangements and complete price before enrolling.
Sources: Post-Harvest Processing Program Guidebook V.092025 (CQI) — Effective September 2025; supersedes prior policies; Codex Code of Practice CAC/RCP 69-2009 — Ochratoxin A Contamination in Coffee (FAO/WHO) — Section 2, definitions based on ISO 3509
Sources
Facts checked: