How Does The Origin Of Coffee Affect Its Traceability And Chemical Composition?

There are many factors that affect the chemical composition of coffee, and the producer controls a large number of variables, including the variety of planting, harvest time, coffee treatment, etc. Producers can also choose the environment for coffee planting, including the amount of fertilizer, the effect of shading trees, etc. Combined with the above factors and the special conditions of the natural environment in each production area, the unique flavor of each kind of coffee is created.

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For a long time, the coffee flavor has been defined as a special category according to its origin. For example, when it comes to fruit flavor and high acidity, is often associated with African coffee, and the thick taste maybe Central American coffee. The flavour is the result of the coffee's unique chemical composition, so we can conclude that coffees of the same origin have similar chemical characteristics, which create the specific regional flavour of that area.

But what is the difference between these chemical compositions? Can we infer the origin of the coffee by analyzing these chemical compositions?

Through the identification technology of NMR, scientists have found that the chemical characteristics can identify the coffee from Colombia, and the same technology has been used to identify Robusta coffee in formula beans. When it is suspected that Arabica formula beans are mixed with cheaper robusta, this is a feasible identification method.

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Researchers also studied phenols and methyl xanthine compounds to identify coffee. These compounds are present in all coffees.

Methyl xanthines include caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. Phenolic compounds include organic acids and chlorogenic acids, such as quinic acid, caffeic acid, etc. Phenolic compounds will form most of the aroma and flavor in coffee.

It has been proved that these two kinds of compounds are very sensitive to changes in the planting environment of coffee trees. Some people believe that these compounds are related to how coffee trees adapt to the planting environment.

Researchers from the European Commission for health and consumer protection used the analysis of methyl xanthine and phenolic compounds to classify coffee according to the continent of origin, with an accuracy of at least 90%. Although impressive, it is still too extensive to be used in practice only to identify which continent coffee comes from.

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Sci-fi foods are committed to developing chemical differences related to the source of coffee in countries or regions and have observed that there are great differences in the content of caffeine and phenolic compounds in different coffees. For example, coffee from El Salvador and Venezuela contains very low caffeine and coffee quinic acid, while coffee from Kenya is famous for its high content of coffee quinic acid. The company's research also shows that there are significant and characteristic differences in the contents of trigonelline and acetic acid in South and Central American coffee.

The company is working to find more consistent regional differences in coffee chemistry, with the goal of identifying the region through the concentration of key molecules. It is hoped that in the near future, the source of unknown samples can be predicted, and the raw coffee beans can be divided according to the region of origin.

Understanding chemical differences and their impact on flavor characteristics may help maintain or even enhance the specific characteristics of each region. If we can better understand what factors cause the unique flavor of each region, we can try new ways to strengthen or adjust the flavor characteristics.

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Why is the relationship between chemical characteristics and production areas so important?

Understanding how chemical properties are related to the flavor of raw and cooked beans is very important for bean roasters, raw bean buyers, and consumers. It can tell us what type of beans we buy. If we know that this bean has a high content of certain compounds and will produce our favorite flavor, it may be a more accurate way to find out which beans we like, rather than just judging by the subjective flavor. A better understanding of chemical properties can also help us develop baking and boiling methods.

The relationship between chemistry and origin may have a similar impact, enabling producers to choose the varieties most suitable for their manor or farm, and affect flavor characteristics through agricultural choices. For example, if they know that the chemicals produced by certain environmental conditions are related to the desired flavor, they can choose to focus on maintaining such environmental conditions.

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If we can identify the production area by chemical characteristics, we can define coffee as a protected name of origin. Better identification methods can also improve transparency and ensure the traceability of sources throughout the supply chain.

Why is source traceability important? Because the traditional coffee supply chain involves many participants, it is easy to forget where the coffee comes from and what processes it has gone through. If we can use chemical analysis to identify the origin and other factors, we can better trust the supply chain and increase accountability. In turn, this can improve market access to information, and may also increase the price of high-quality coffee produced on a small scale.

Chemical analysis may also help to reduce fabricated information about raw beans, such as the discovery of an example of robusta mixed with Arabica formula beans.

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One of the main problems in fully understanding the relationship between origin and chemistry is that there are few chemical data on raw beans related to the rules of origin. To understand the chemical composition of coffee in this region, we need to analyze a large number of coffee samples from each major coffee region during several harvest seasons.

Considering that coffee production is spread across all continents and many producing countries, this is a difficult task for any research team or company. To carry out such a large-scale research, we need to work together.

The relationship between chemical composition and the flavor of coffee has attracted more attention. Various institutions, companies, and enthusiasts have created a network to share data and ideas on the subject. The result is systematic data recording because more teams are told what data is still lacking. This should be an example of how researchers want to understand the relationship between the chemical composition of coffee and its origin.

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Many benefits can be gained by better understanding the relationship between origin and chemistry in raw coffee beans. Increasing knowledge can provide information for the application of agricultural technology, enable producers to choose the best varieties, and better customize planting and processing methods for the region.

In addition to a better understanding of how flavor characteristics are created, chemical analysis can also help us improve the transparency and traceability of the supply chain.

If researchers and producers in the whole industry can work together on a large scale and track relevant data, there is greater potential to have a more comprehensive understanding of coffee.

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