CHEMISTRY IN COFFEE

Grp. 1 – Arguelles, Billano, Taulava

Have you ever wondered why one coffee roast tastes different from another roast? The creation
and roasting of coffee is both art and science: it takes extreme precision and delicacy to create
a certain roast. This is because coffee roasting goes through six phases before becoming the
drink that many of us consume:
1. Maillard Reaction
2. Caramelization
3. Endothermic
4. First Crack
5. Pyrolysis
6. Second Crack

The first phase is known as the Maillard Phase (150 - 200 degrees celsius). This is where the
reducing sugars, or simple sugars that has a free aldehyde and ketone group, reacts with
maillard-susceptible amino acids to form glycosylamine. This molecule is unstable, and either
becomes a caramel-type molecule (by losing water), or a short-chain molecule. Any of these
reactions can cause the formation of melanoidins, the compound responsible for coffee’s bitter
taste.

From here, coffee goes through caramelization (170 - 200 degrees celsius), a process where
in the remaining sugars (especially sucrose) browns and the acidic and aromatic compounds of
the coffee is released. Throughout this third process called Endothermic or “warm-up”, the
moisture is rapidly evaporating. The result of moisture in the coffee bean will be exposed to high
heat to increase the time to minimize the formation of acidic compounds. You will experienc e
different aromas such as wet grass to toasted grain. Hence, the coffee bean will turn pale to tan
to light brown and then to brown. But, the key to attaining a milk chocolate brown color of a
coffee bean is the Maillard Reaction. The fourth process is referred to as the First Crack (205
degrees celsius), where in the coffee bean turns into a light-green color. The bean begins to
visibly and audibly crack, and from there, water vapor is released. The bean loses at least 5% of
its total weight.

The fourth step is called Pyrolysis (220 degrees celsius), also known as burning. The coffee
bean gets its iconic medium-brown color during this process and loses 13% of its weight. This is
where the bean finally begins to have chemical changes. From here, the last step is called the
Second Crack or releasing heat energy that usually happens between 225 - 230 degrees
celsius, wherein the coffee beans crack for the second time, specifically in the cell wall of the
bean can be its completion of the process for 20-45 seconds. The first sign of the second crack
is Medium roast. This is where all of the aromas are released in the bean, and a physical sign of
this is the bean becoming oily and medium-dark brown.
The Coffee normally contains a variety of chemical compounds such as caffeine, antioxidants,
and diterpenes. Four main products are formed while brewing coffee:
1. Caffeine
2. Phenylindanes
3. Melanoidins
4. Chlorogenic Acid

The first product is known as Caffeine. More caffeine, volatile oils, and organic compounds will
be present the more you grind the beans. Boiling water can help to extract the caffeine and
organic acids quicker that results in high levels of caffeine and bitter organic acids. The shorter
the extraction, the richer the caffeine of coffee bean will become and has a weak flavor,
bitterness, and aroma that affects the taste if did not extract well. But the longer the extraction,
the higher the levers of the organic acids that makes it too bitter. Roasting is the result of
caffeine reduction.

Phenylindanes are the second product formed which is an antioxidant that can be found in the
green unroasted coffee bean or higher levels in dark roasted coffee like espresso. It is not bitter
itself which is derived from chlorogenic acid. Also, it is the source of bitterness in light roast
brews to medium. Roasting of beans converts the chlorogenic acids in raw beans to chlorogenic
acid lactones and the continuous roasting of beans results to breakdown products of lactones
called phenylindanes.

Melanoidins are palatable and brown colored compounds that are formed during Maillard
phase which happens during the hot processing of food. In addition to that, Melanoids are
formed in a multistage reaction within reducing sugars and compounds that take over the free
amino groups and it can be found in roasted coffee, cooked meat, tomatoes that are processed
and so on.

Lastly, Chlorogenic Acids are also one of the products while making coffee. In medium to light
coffee brews, the main source of bitterness is from chlorogenic acid lactones. There are 2
Dominant Chlorogenic Acid Lactones: 3-caffeoylquinic-1,5-lactone, and 4-caffeoylquinic-1,5-
lactone
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. What is the name of the compound responsible for coffee’s bitter taste in medium to light
coffee brews?
a. Chlorogenic Acid Lactones
b. Phenylindanes
c. Melanoidins
d. Caffeine

2. During the first crack phase, what is the general color of the coffee beans?
a. Yellow-Green
b. Light-Green
c. Light-Brown
d. Medium-Dark Brown

3. How much temperature is needed in order to undergo the pyrolysis stage?

a. 220 degrees Celsius
b. 200 degrees Celsius
c. 225 degrees Celsius
d. 210 degrees Celsius

4. Which process in making coffee involves reducing sugars and amino acids in order to form
the brown color and different aromas and flavors?
a. First Crack
b. Maillard Reaction
c. Endothermic
d. Caramelization

5. Which of the following products is responsible for binding to adenosine receptors in order
to lessen drowsiness?
a. Melanoidins
b. Chlorogenic Acid
c. Caffeine
d. Phenylindanes