Coffee quality measurement and modification with electricity
(Room 25 C)
10 Apr 26
11:00 AM
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11:45 AM
Coffee extracts contain thousands of different compounds, many of which contribute to the quality of the cup. Minor fluctuations in the ratios of these compounds gives rise to major differences in perceived flavor. However, to date the industry is only able to the measure the average total solvated mass (%TDS) or use cost prohibitive and slow chromatography methods. Electrochemistry offers one route to measuring coffee components in real time and provides insights into both the quantity of compounds as well as their identity. Together, our approach provides unparalleled insight into what is solvated in the cup, and we further explore how the same technique can be used to modify flavor. This talk will cover the fundamentals of electrochemistry, a demonstration of its utility, and a real-time demonstration. This work is supported by the the Cottrell Scholars award and Coffee Science Foundation in partnership with Nuova Simonelli.