Coffee Roast Gas Analysis

Being one of the most popular beverages, coffee has a high economic value. One of the most significant factors in determining taste and pricing of coffee is the roasting process. A roast master, who takes especially sensory and physical parameters like weight loss, smell or bean color into account, controls this process. For an improvement in batch consistency and on-line roast control, these parameters are not useful.

Photoionization mass spectrometry (PIMS) could be a promising tool for on-line roast control. The aim is to obtain an understanding of the roasting process and to achieve a model for different coffee roasters and roasting conditions. PIMS also allows monitoring of degradation products of health-promoting substances. During degradation of chlorogenic acid, (poly) phenolic species are formed, which are regarded as radical scavenger with benefits for human health. Enhancing the content of health promoting substances in the roast process is also part of the project.