Skip to main content
Log in

Ground Roast Coffee: Review of Analytical Strategies to Estimate Geographic Origin, Species Authenticity and Adulteration by Dilution

  • Published:
Food Analytical Methods Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Methods for the determination of the most commonly found materials used to adulterate coffee as diluents and to establish the geographic and genotypic origin of beans are reviewed. Suggestions are made as to how to start to authenticate, or otherwise, the label claims for a given sample of roast ground coffee.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Accum F (1820) A treatise on adulterations of food, and culinary poisons, exhibiting the fraudulent sophistications of and methods of detecting them, Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, London, (1820). First and second editions both dated

  • Allen AA (1880) Note on the examination of coffee. Analyst 4:1–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alves RC, Casal S, Oliveira MBP (2009) Tocopherols in espresso coffee: analytical method development and validation. Food Chem 115:1549–1555

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson KM, Smith BW (2002) Chemical profiling to differentiate geographic growing origins of coffee. J Agric Food Chem 50:2068–2075

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Antoine JMR, Hoo Fung LA, Grant CN (2015) Geographic determination of the growing origins of Jamaican and international coffee using instrumental neutron activation and analysis and other methods. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 309:525–534

    Google Scholar 

  • Aquino FJT, Augusti R, Alves JO, Diniz MER, Morais SAL, Alves BHP, Nascimento EA, Sabino AA (2014) Direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry applied to the detection of forgeries: roasted coffees adulterated with their husks. Microchem J 117:127–132

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baker M (2016) Arabica vs. Robusta comparison. Turkish Style Coffee. Available at: http://www.turkishstylegroundcoffee.com/coffee-education/coffee-production/arabica-vs-robusta/ [accessed 2 May 2016]

  • Barbin DF, Felicio ALSM, Sun D, Nixdorf SL, Hirooka EY (2014) Application of infrared spectral techniques on quality and compositional attributes of coffee: an overview. Food Res Internat 61:23–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barbosa RM, Batista BL, Varrique RM, Coelho VA, Campiglia AD, Barbosa F (2014) The use of advanced chemometric techniques and trace element levels for controlling the authenticity of organic coffee. Food Res Internat 61:246–251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bertone E, Venturelo A, Giraudo A, Pellegrino G, Geobaldo F (2016) Simultaneous determination by NIR spectroscopy of the roasting degree and Arabic/Robusta ratio in roasted and ground coffee. Food Control 59:683–689

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • BS ISO 24114:2011 Instant coffee—criteria for authenticity. BSI, London

  • BS 5752-15:1997 ISO 11292:1995 Methods of test for coffee and coffee products—part 15: instant coffee: determination of the free and total carbohydrate contents by high performance anion-exchange chromatography. BSI, London

  • Burns DT, Walker MJ, Buchberger W, Worsfold P (2016) The role of knowledge of the history of analytical chemistry for academics and for law enforcement authorities in European analytical column no. 44. Anal Bioanal Chem 408:4191–4193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cagliani LR, Pellegrino G, Giugno G, Consonni R (2013) Quantification of Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora var. robusta in roasted and ground coffee blends. Talanta 106:169–173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai T, Ting H, Jin-lan Z (2016) Novel identification strategy for ground coffee adulteration based on UPLC–HRMS oligosaccharide profiling. Food Chem 190:1046–1049

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calvini R, Ulrici A, Amigo JM (2015) Practical comparison of sparse methods for classification of Arabica and Robusta coffee species using near infrared hyperspectral imaging. Chemomet and Intelligent Lab Sys 146:503–511

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cao EP, Constantino-Santos DM, Ramos LAP, Santos BS, Quilang JP, Mojica RM (2014) Molecular and morphological differentiation among Coffea (Rubiaceae) varieties grown in the farms of Cavite Province, Philippines. Phil. Sci Lett 7:387–397

    Google Scholar 

  • Choi M-Y, Choi W, Park JH, Lim J, Kwon SW (2010) Determination of coffee origins by integrated metabolomic approach of combining multiple analytical data. Food Chem 121:1260–1268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Consonni R, Cagliani LR, Cogliati C (2012) NMR based geographical characterization of roasted coffee. Talanta 88:420–426

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cribb CH (1902) Note on (1) samples of coffee containing added starch; (2) a sample of artificial coffee berries. Analyst 27:114–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deelstra H, Thorburn BD, Walker MJ (2014) The adulteration of food, lessons from the past, with reference to butter, margarine and fraud. Eur Food Res Technol 239:725–744

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deshpande S, El-Abassy RM, Jaiswal R, Eravuchira P, von der Kammer B, Materny A, Kuhnert N (2014) Which spectroscopic technique allows the best differentiation of coffee varieties: comparing principal component analysis using data derived from CD-, NMR- and IR-spectroscopies and LC-MS in the analysis of the chlorogenic acid fraction in green coffee beans. Anal Methods 6:3268–3276

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dias RCE, de Faria-Machado AF, Mercadante AZ, Bragagnolo N, de Toledo Benassi M (2014) Roasting process affects the profile of diterpenes in coffee. Eur Food Res Technol 239:961–970

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dias RCE, Alves ST, de Toledo Benassi M (2013) Spectrophotometric method for quantification of kahweol in coffee. J Food Comp Anal 31:137–143

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DIN 10779:2011–03, Untersuchung von Kaffee und Kaffee-Erzeugnissen-Bestimmung des Gehaltes an 16-O-Methylcafestol in Röstkaffee-HPLC-Verfahren

  • Domingues DS, Pauli ED, de Abreu JEM, Massura FW, Cristiano V, Santos MJ, Nixdorf SL (2014) Detection of roasted and ground coffee adulteration by HPLC by amperometric and by post-column derivatization UV–Vis detection. Food Chem 146:353–362

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dyer B (1898) On chicory, and variations in its composition. Analyst 23:226–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ebrahimi-Najafabadi H, Leardi R, Oliveri P, Chiara Casolino M, Jalali-Heravi M, Lanteri S (2012) Detection of addition of barley to coffee using near infrared spectroscopy and chemometric techniques. Talanta 99:175–179

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards FW, Nanji HR (1938) Coffee extracts. Analyst 63:323–328

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Abassy RM, Donfack P, Materny A (2011) Discrimination between Arabica and Robusta green coffee using visible micro Raman spectroscopy and chemometric analysis. Food Chem 126:1443–1448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Excise Laws Amendment Act 1803 An Act to amend so much of an Act made in this Session of Parliament for granting additional Duties of Excise, as relates to the Exportation of tea to Ireland; for regulating the granting of Permits for the Removal of Coffee, Tea and Cocoa Nuts out of Warehouse, and for more effectually securing the Duties on Coffee, 11th August 1803, 43 Geo. 3, Cap. 129, cited in Bateman, J., The Laws of Excise, A Maxwell & Son, Lincoln’s Inn, London, 1843

  • Falasconi M, Pardo M, Sberveglieri G, Riccò I, Bresciani A (2005) The novel EOS835 electronic nose and data analysis for evaluating coffee ripening. Sens Actua B 110:73–80

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira T, Farah A, Oliveira TC, Lima IS, Vitório F, Oliveira EMM (2016) Using real-time PCR as a tool for monitoring the authenticity of commercial coffees. Food Chem 199:433–438

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia LMZ, Pauli ED, Cristiano V, da Camara CA, Scarminio IS, Nixdorf SL (2009) Chemometric evaluation of adulteration profile in coffee due to corn and husk by determining carbohydrates using HPAEC-PAD. J Chromat Sci 47(9):825–832

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • García-Flores M, Juárez-Colunga S, García-Casarrubias A, Trachsel S, Winkler R, Tiessen A (2015) Metabolic profiling of plant extracts using direct-injection electrospray ionization mass spectrometry allows for high-throughput phenotype characterization according to genetic and environmental effects. J Agric Food Chem 63:1042–1052

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garrett R, Vaz BG, Hovel AMC, Eberlin MN, Rezende CM (2012) Arabica and Robusta coffees: identification of major polar compounds and quantification of blends by direct-infusion electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. J Agric Food Chem 60:4253–4258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Górnaś P, Siger A, Pugajeva I, Czubinski J, Waśkiewicz A, Polewski K (2014) New insights regarding tocopherols in Arabica and Robusta species coffee beans: RP-UPLC-ESI/MS n and NP-HPLC/FLD study. J Food Comp Anal 36:117–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham T, Stenhouse J, Campbell D (1857) Chemical report on the mode of detecting vegetable substances mixed with coffee for the purposes of adulteration. Q J Chem Soc 9:33–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heo SJ (2014) Preparation of Kopi Luwak using artificial digestive juices, Repb. Korean Kongkae Taeho Kongbo, KR2014089965 A 20140716

  • Hoang MC (2012) Method for processing coffee, Patent PCT Int. Appl., WO 2012009730 A1 20120119

  • ICO 2014 The International Coffee Organization (ICO), http://www.ico.org/ (accessed 26.08.2016)

  • Jeszka-Skowron M, Zgoła-Grześkowiak A, Grześkowiak T (2015) Analytical methods applied for the characterisation and determination of bioactive compounds in coffee. Eur Food Res Technol 240:19–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jham GN, Winkler JK, Berhow MA, Vaughn SF (2007) γ-Tocopherol as a marker of Brazilian coffee ( Coffea arabica L.) adulteration by corn. J Agric Food Chem 55:5995–5999

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jumhawan U, Putri SP, Yusianto ME, Bamba T, Fukusaki E (2013) Selection of discriminant markers for authentication of Asian palm civet coffee (Kopi Luwak): a metabolomics approach. J Agric Food Chem 66:7994–8001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jumhawan U, Putri SP, Yusianto BT, Fukusaki E (2015) Application of gas chromatography/flame ionization detector-based metabolite fingerprinting for authentication of Asian palm civet coffee (Kopi Luwak). J Biosci Bioengin 120:555–561

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jumhawan U, Putri SP, Yusianto BT, Fukusaki E (2016) Quantification of coffee blends for authentication of Asian palm civet coffee (Kopi Luwak) via metabolomics: a proof of concept. J Biosci and Bioengin 122:79–84

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jung Y II (2015) Method for producing fermented coffee by fermentation process of microbial complex instead of digestive process of musk cat, Repub. Korean Kongkae Taeho Kongbo, KR 2015061986 A 20150605

  • Kamm W, Dionisi F, Fay LB, Hischenhuber C, Schmarr HG, Engel KH (2002) Rapid and simultaneous analysis of 16-O-methylcafestol and sterols as markers for assessment of green coffee bean authenticity by on-line LC-GC. JAOCS 79:1109–1113

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim GS (2013) Manufacturing method of fermented functional coffee utilizing chungkookjang, Repub. Korean Kongkae Taeho Kongbo, KR 2013044284 A20130502

  • Kum-Tatt L (1961) A routine method for determining caffeine in coffee and coffee mixtures. Analyst 86:825–828

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lange ED (2013) Draft report on the food crisis, fraud in the food chain and control thereof (2013/2091 (INI), European Parliament

  • Lee II U et al. (2016) Method of producing high quality coffee of rich taste and smell by fermentation using composite microorganisms, Repub. Korean Kongkae Taeho Kongbo KR 2016063628 A 20160607

  • Marcone MF, Yada RY (1997) Evidence for the phosphorylation and glycosylation of the amaranth 11S globulin (amaranthin). J Food Biochem 21:341–369

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marcone MF (2004) Composition and properties of Indonesian palm civet coffee (Kopi Luwak) and Ethiopian civet coffee. Food Res Intn 37:901–912

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marquetti I, Link JV, Lemes ALG, Scholz MBS, Valderrama P, Bona E (2016) Partial least square with discriminant analysis and near infrared spectroscopy for evaluation of geographic and genotypic origin of arabica coffee. Comp Electronics Agric 121:313–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehari B, Redi-Abshiro M, Chandravanshi B, Combrinck S, Atlabachew M, McCrindle R (2016) Profiling of phenolic compounds using UPLC–MS for determining the geographical origin of green coffee beans from Ethiopia. J Food Comp Anal 45:16–25

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Monakhova YB, Ruge W, Kuballa T, Ilse M, Winkelmann O, Diehl B, Thomas F, Lachenmeier DW (2015) Rapid approach to identify the presence of Arabica and Robusta species in coffee using 1H NMR spectroscopy. Food Chem 182:178–184

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montero-Vargas JM, González-González LH, Gálvez-Ponce E, Ramirez-Chávez E, Molina-Torres J, Chagolla A, Montagnon C, Winkler R (2013) Metabolic phenotyping for the classification of coffee trees and the exploration of selection markers. Mol BioSyst 9:693–699

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moor CC, Priest M (1899) Coffee extracts, their composition and analysis. Analyst 24:281–283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muñiz-Valencia R, Jurado JM, Ceballos-Magaña SG, Alcázar Á, Hernández-Díaz J (2014) Characterization of Mexican coffee according to mineral contents by means of multilayer perceptrons artificial neural networks. J Food Comp Anal 34:7–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Novaes FJM, Oigman SS, de Souza ROMA, Rezende CM, de Aquino Neto FR (2015) New approaches on the analyses of thermolabile coffee diterpenes by gas chromatography and its relationship with cup quality. Talanta 139:159–166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira RCS, Oliveira LS, Franca AS, Augusti R (2009) Evaluation of the potential of SPME-GC-MS and chemometrics to detect adulteration of ground roasted coffee with roasted barley. J Food Comp Anal 22:257–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira M, Ramos S, Delerue-Matos C, Morais S (2015) Expresso beverages of pure origin coffee: mineral characterization, contribution for mineral intake and geographical origin discrimination. Food Chem 177:330–338

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ongo E, Falasconi M, Sberveglieri G, Antonelli A, Montevecchi G, Sberveglieri V, Concina I, Sevilla F III (2012) Chemometric discrimination of Philippine civet coffee using electronic nose and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Procedia Engin 47:977–980

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Özdestan Ö, van Ruth SM, Alewijn M, Koot A, Romano A, Cappellin L, Biasioli F (2013) Differentiation of specialty coffees by proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry. Food Res Intern 53:433–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pauli ED, Barbieri F, Garcia PS, Madeira TB, Acquaro VR, Scarminio I, da Camara CAP, Nixdorf SL (2014) Detection of ground roasted coffee adulteration with roasted soybean and wheat. Food Res Intern 61:112–119

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pizarro C, Esteban-Díez I, González-Sáiz JM (2007) Mixture resolution according to the percentage of robusta variety in order to detect adulteration in roasted coffee by near infrared spectroscopy. Anal Chim Acta 585:266–276

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reis N, Franca AS, Oliveira LS (2013) Quantitative evaluation of multiple adulterants in roasted coffee by Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and chemometrics. Talanta 115:563–568

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rendón MY, Salva TDJG, Bragagnolo N (2014) Impact of chemical changes on the sensory characteristics of coffee beans during storage. Food Chem 147:279–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Roos B, van der Weg G, Urgert R, van de Bovenkamp P, Charrier A, Katan MB (1997) Levels of cafestol, kahweol, and related diterpenoids in wild species of the coffee plant Coffea. J Agric Food Chem 45:3065–3069

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schievano E, Fintello C, de Angelis E, Mammi S (2014) Rapid authentication of coffee blends and quantification of 16-O-methylcafestol in roasted coffee beans by nuclear magnetic resonance. J Agric Food Chem 62:12309–12314

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smetham A (1882) On the composition of some samples of pure coffee. Analyst 7:73–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song YY (2014) Method of preparing dried ad fried kopi luwak by fermenting coffee beans using ascomycetes strain, Repub. Korean Kongkae Taeho Kongbo, KR 2014111366 A 20140919

  • Souto UTDCP, Barbosa MF, Dantas HV, de Pontes AS, da Silva LW, Diniz PHGD, de Araújo MCU, da Silva EC (2015) Identification of adulteration in ground roasted coffees using UV–Vis spectroscopy and SPA-LDA. LWT-Food Sci Tech 63:1037–1041

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sunarharum WB, Williams DJ, Smyth HE (2014) Complexity of coffee flavor: a compositional and sensory perspective. Food Res Intn 62:315–325

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tarzia A, dos Santos Scholz MB, de Oliveria Petkowiez CL (2010) Influence of the postharvest processing method on polysaccharides and coffee beverages. Food Sci Technol 45:2167–2175

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Toci AT, Farah A, Pezza HR, Pezza L (2016) Coffee adulteration: more than two decades of research. Crit Rev Anal Chem 46:83–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tolessa K, Rademaker M, Baets BD, Boeckx P (2016) Prediction of specialty coffee cup quality based on near infrared spectra of green coffee beans. Talanta 150:367–374

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tornincasa P, Furlan M, Pallavicini A, Graziosi G (2010) Coffee species and varietal identification. In: Nimis PL, Vignes LR (ed), Tools for identifying biodiversity: progress and problems, EUT, Trieste, Pp 301–313

  • Yang K-T (2015) Food raw materials construction processes and structure, Faming Zhuani Shenqing, CN 104686763 A 20150610

  • Yener S, Romano A, Cappellin L, Granitto PM, Aprea E, Navarini L, Märk TD, Gasperi F, Biasioli F (2015) Tracing coffee origin by direct injection headspace analysis with PTR/SRI-MS. Food Res Intn 69:235–243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yusianto, Nugroho D, Mawardi S (2012) Enhancing Arabica coffee taste profile by involving biological agents during fermentation process. Coll Sci Intern Café 4th 430–437

  • Wang N, Fu Y, Lim L-T (2011) Feasibility study on chemometric discrimination of roasted Arabica coffees by solvent extraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. J Agric Food Chem 59:3220–3226

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Walker MJ, Burns M, Thorburn BD (2013) Horse meat in beef products, species substitution, 2013. J Assoc Public Analysts 41:67–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Wermelinger T, D’Ambrosio L, Klopprogge B, Yeretzian C (2011) Quantification of the Robusta fraction in a coffee blend via Raman spectroscopy: proof of principle. J Agric Food Chem 59:9074–9079

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Thorburn Burns.

Ethics declarations

The statements below are declared by Duncan Thorburn Burns on behalf of all the authors of this review.

Funding

This study was personally funded by the authors.

Conflict of Interest

D. Thorburn Burns declares that he has no conflict of interest. L. Tweed declares that she has no conflict of interest. M. J. Walker declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Ethical Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed Consent

Not applicable.

Glossary

ANN

Artificial neural network

CD

Circular dichroism spectroscopy

CDA

Canonical discriminant analysis

DRIFTS

Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy

ESI-MS

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

HPAEC

High performance anion-exchange chromatography (often applied with pulsed amperometric detection)

LDA

Linear discriminant analysis

NAA

Neutron activation analysis

OPLS

Orthogonal projections to latent structures, a linear regression method

OWAVEC

Orthogonal wavelet correction

PAD

Pulsed amperometric detection

PCA

Principle component analysis

PCR

Polymerase chain reaction

PLS-DA

Partial least squares–discriminant analysis

PTR-MS

Proton transfer reaction–mass spectrometry

PTR-ToFMS

Proton transfer reaction–time of flight mass spectrometry

SPA-LDA

Successive projections algorithm linear discriminant analysis

SPME

Solid-phase microextraction

SRI

Switching reagent ion system

UPLC-HRMS

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Thorburn Burns, D., Tweed, L. & Walker, M.J. Ground Roast Coffee: Review of Analytical Strategies to Estimate Geographic Origin, Species Authenticity and Adulteration by Dilution. Food Anal. Methods 10, 2302–2310 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-016-0756-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-016-0756-3

Keywords

Navigation