received by the International Bureau on 20.05.2015

What is claimed is:

1. (Amended) A method for preserving green coffee beans comprising:

flushing a low-oxygen permeability container with an inert gas that is safe for food contact, wherein the inert gas minimally reacts with green coffee beans in a manner that substantially preserves the quality of the coffee;

including at least one oxygen absorbent in said container;

filling said container with green coffee beans; and

sealing said container.

2. (Amended) The method claim 1 , wherein the inert gas is nitrogen,

3. (Amended) A method for preserving green coffee beans comprising:

flushing with an inert gas a low-oxygen permeability container having an oxygen absorbent membrane, wherein said inert gas is safe for food contact and minimally reacts with green coffee beans in a manner that substantially preserves the quality of the coffee;

filling the low-oxygen permeability container with green coffee beans; and sealing the low-oxygen permeability container.

4. (Amended) The method claim 3, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.

5. (Amended) A method for preserving green coffee beans comprising: filling a low-oxygen permeability container with green coffee beans in a room filled with an inert gas other than oxygen, wherein said inert gas is safe for food contact, wherein said inert gas minimally reacts with green coffee beans in a manner that substantially preserves the quality of the coffee; and

sealing the low-oxygen permeability container.

8. (Amended) The method claim 5, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen. 7 (Amended). A method for preserving roasted coffee comprising:

flushing with an inert gas a container that is configured to withstand pressure of carbon dioxide released from roasted coffee, wherein said inert gas minimally reacts with roasted coffee in a manner that substantially preserves the quality of the coffee; filling the container with roasted coffee, wherein carbon dioxide released from the roasted coffee increases the pressure in the container above the initial pressure in the container at the time it was sealed; including at least one oxygen absorbent in the container; and

sealing the container,

8. (Cancelled) The method claim 7, wherein the method further comprises the step of including at least one oxygen absorbent in the container.

9. (Amended) The method claim 7, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen,

10. The method claim 7, wherein the method is performed within about 24 hours after roasting the roasted coffee.

11. The method claim 7, wherein the method is performed 24 hours or more after roasting the roasted coffee,

12. (Cancelled) The method claim 7, wherein a volume fraction of gas to roasted coffee in the container is in excess of 53%.

13. The method claim 7, wheresn the roasted coffee Is ground.

The method claim 7, wherein the roasted coffee is coffee beans.

15. (Amended) A method for preserving roasted coffee comprising: flushing a container that is configured to withstand pressure of carbon dioxide released from roasted coffee and that includes an oxygen absorbent membrane, with an inert gas that is safe for food contact, wherein said inert gas minimally reacts with roasted coffee in a manner that substantially preserves the quality of the coffee;

filling the container with roasted coffee, wherein carbon dioxide released from the roasted coffee increases the pressure in the container above the initial pressure in the container at the time it was sealed; and

sealing the container.

16. (Amended) The method claim 15, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.

17. The method claim 15, wherein the method is performed within 24 hours after roasting the roasted coffee beans.

18. The method claim 15, wherein the method is performed 24 hours or more after roasting the roasted coffee beans.

19. (Cancelled) The method claim 15, wherein a volume fraction of gas to roasted coffee beans in the pressurized container is in excess of 53%.

20. The method claim 15, wherein the roasted coffee is ground.

21. The method claim 15, wherein the roasted coffee is coffee beans.

22. (Cancelled) A method for preserving roasted coffee beans comprising: filling a container that is configured to withstand pressure of carbon dioxide released from roasted coffee with roasted coffee in a room filled with a gas, wherein the gas is an inert gas safe for food contact, wherein the gas minimally reacts with roasted coffee bean; sealing the container.

23. (Cancelled) The method claim 17, wherein the gas is nitrogen,

24. (Cancelled) The method claim 17, wherein the method is performed within 24 hours after roasting the roasted coffee beans.

25. (Cancelled) The method claim 17, wherein the method is performed 24 hours or more after roasting the roasted coffee beans.

26. (Cancelled) The method claim 17, wherein a volume fraction of gas to roasted coffee beans in the pressurized container is in excess of 53%,

27. (Cancelled) The method claim 7, wherein the roasted coffee is ground,

28. (Cancelled) The method claim 7, wherein the roasted coffee is coffee beans,

29. A sealed container comprising:

less than 1 % oxygen;

an oxygen-absorbent material; and

coffee beans.

30. The sealed container of claim 29, wherein the coffee beans are green coffee beans.

31. The sealed container of claim 30, wherein the container has low-oxygen permeability.

32. The seated container of claim 29, wherein the coffee beans are roasted coffee beans.

33. (Amended) The sealed container of claim 32, wherein the container is configured to withstand pressure of carbon dioxide released from roasted coffee.

34. The sealed container of claim 33, wherein the container is filled with about 227 grams of roasted coffee beans.

35. The sealed container of claim 33, wherein the container is filled with about 338 grams of roasted coffee beans.

36. The sealed container of claim 33, wherein the container is filled with about 448 grams of roasted coffee beans.

37. Coffee beans packaged in a sealed container, wherein the sealed container comprises:

less than 1% of oxygen; and

an oxygen-absorbent material.

38. The sealed container of claim 37, wherein the coffee beans are green coffee beans,

39. The sealed container of claim 38, wherein the container has low-oxygen permeability.

40. The sealed container of claim 37, wherein the coffee beans are roasted coffee beans.

41. The sealed container of claim 40, wherein the container is configured to withstand pressure of carbon dioxide.

42. The sealed container of claim 41 , wherein the container is filled with about 227 grams of roasted coffee beans.

43. The sealed container of claim 41 , wherein the container is filled with about 336 grams of roasted coffee beans.

44. The sealed container of claim 41 , wherein the container is filled with about 448 grams of roasted coffee beans.

45. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 55%,

48. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 60%.

47. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 85%.

48. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 70%.

49. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 75%.

50. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 80%.

51. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 85%.

52. (New) The method of claim 13, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 90%.

53. (New) The method of claim 14, wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 55%.

54. (New) The method of claim 14, wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 60%.

55. (New) The method of claim 14, wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 65%.

58. (New) The method of claim 14, wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 70%.

57. (New) The method of claim 14, wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 75%.

58. (New) The method of claim 14, wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 80%.

59. (New) The method of claim 20, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 55%.

60. (New) The method of claim 20, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 80%.

61. (New) The method of claim 20, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 65%.

62. (New) The method of claim 20, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 70%,

83. (New) The method of claim 20, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 75%.

64. (New) The method of claim 20, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 80%.

65. (New) The method of claim 34, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 85%.

87. (New) The method of claim 20, wherein a volume fraction of ground coffee to gas in the container is in excess of about 90%.

69. (New) The method claim 21 , wherein a volume fraction of gas to roasted coffee beans in the pressurized container is in excess of 55%.

70. (New) The method of claim 21 , wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 60%.

71. (New) The method of claim 21 , wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 65%.

72. (New) The method of claim 21 , wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 70%.

73. (New) The meihod of claim 21 , wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 75%.

74. (New) The method of claim 21 , wherein a volume fraction of roasted coffee beans to gas in the container is in excess of about 80%.