Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1508650
36 STiR coffee and tea | 2023 Issue 5 (October / November) S By Melanie Boehme pectrometry is a technology that empowers astronomers to probe the far reaches of the universe. But back here on earth, it's a handy tool for analyzing coffee. The technique is based on the fact that light and other electromagnetic radiation emitted from or reflected by any material displays a specific pattern of wave- lengths that is unique to the element or molecule present. A spectrometer can deter- mine the exact chemical composition of a coffee, such as a blend of roasted beans, and even predict its cup quality. The advantage of this technique is that it is fast, cheap, and reliable. Only a very small sample is needed — half a gram, for example — and the test is not destructive, according to Veronica Belchior, a licensed Q-grader who is also a scholar of food sci- ence at Federal University of Minas Gerais, in the heart of Brazil's coffeeland. Another advantage: a spectroscopic analyzer is portable, so it can be taken to a farm, post-harvest processing center, roastery, or cupping event, Belchior said in a talk at the Specialty Coffee Expo this year in Portland, Oregon. Spectroscopic techniques can be used to analyze coffee in any form: green or roast- ed whole beans; ground; a blend; instant; and even brewed coffee. It can be used to optimize the roasting process; to classify a coffee's grade; to differentiate by species and variety; and to verify geographical origin. The type of spectrometry used in analysis of coffee is based on one of three meth- ods: mid-infrared (IR), near infrared, and Raman spectroscopy. The art of coffee tasting gets a boost from science as researchers use infrared analyzers to predict quality, detect defects, and uncover fraud. Spectroscopy: Shining a Light on Coffee Spectroscopic techniques can be used to analyze coffee in any form: green or roasted whole beans; ground; a blend; instant; and even brewed coffee. — Veronica Belchior Federal University of Minas Gerais One important application of spectroscopic analysis is verification of a coffee's origin using comparison with data from authenticated samples.