Coffee aroma sensory notes and chemical signature: a sensometric approach

Coffee consumption is strictly connected to its emotional impact, and to the group of perceptions occurring before and during its consumption. Among the complex pool of factors contributing to the flavor definition, the aroma has a primary role1. The coffee aroma is sensorially characterized by a pool of descriptors capable of classifying the sensory perceptions. These descriptors, commonly defined sensory notes, are not an abstract idea linked to the emotional sphere but they are due to the interaction of a pool of molecules, between them and with specific receptors, known as coffee aroma chemical odor code. Coffee aroma has been studied since long time but the chemistry behind the different modulations of this complex and attractive aroma notes is still far to be clarified.2 The aim of this work is to define the chemical fingerprints of different coffee sensory notes by linking the monadic sensory profiling with their chemical composition by a sensometric approach.3 Coffee samples were sensorially evaluated and analyzed by HS-SPME-GC-MS and the data elaboration was carried out with chemometric tools such as PLS-DA and PLS. This approach has shown to be discriminative, informative and predictive to define the chemical signature of different aroma notes. The effectiveness of the whole analytical approach has been evaluated by the performance of the applied chemometric tools and through well known conventional approaches.4,5 1. Sunarharum, W. B., Williams, D. J. & Smyth, H. E. Complexity of coffee flavor: A compositional and sensory perspective. Food Res. Int. 62, 315–325 (2014). 2. Folmer, B. How can science help to create new value in coffee? Food Res. Int. 63, 477–482 (2014). 3. Ribeiro, J. S., Augusto, F., Salva, T. J. G., Thomaziello, R. A. & Ferreira, M. M. C. Prediction of sensory properties of Brazilian Arabica roasted coffees by headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography and partial least squares. Anal. Chim. Acta 634, 172–179 (2009). 4. Grosch, W. Evaluation of the Key Odorants of Foods by Dilution Experiments , Aroma Models and Omission. Chem. Senses 26, 533–545 (2001). 5. Schieberle, P. in Characterization of Food 403–431 (1995). doi:10.1016/B978-044481499-9/50018-4