Espresso Coffee between Tradition and Innovation
A hi-tech multisensory system to determine the aroma and taste of coffee thanks to the analysis of the molecules released during the roasting process.
This is the aim of the COMETA project “Quality testing of organoleptic properties of COffee blends via genetic and METAbolic fingerprinting", co-financed by Lazio Innova SpA – Public notice “KETs – Key Enabling Technologies Area “Life Sciences” pursuant to Resolution no. G13675 of 21/11/2016 – POR FESR LAZIO 2014 – 2020 - application report prot. no. A0114-2017-14861 of 14/02/2017, through the European Regional Development Fund with the financial support of the European Union, the Italian Republic and the Lazio Region. The project includes the Danesi Caffè company, as a leading partner, ENEA, for the study of the chemical compounds of the blend and the drink, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, for the development of the multisensory system and analysis of phenolic compounds, and the biotech company Genechron, born from an ENEA spin-off, for the genetic profile of the mixture.
The project is based on the punctual chemical definition of the organoleptic qualities of coffee. In particular, a fine measurement of the coffee metabolites will be performed in order, on the one hand, to frame the volatile molecules to be detected in a multisensory system and, on the other hand, to define the levels of the non-volatile molecules associated with the taste of the coffee. Finally, a "global" approach will be applied for the definition of a large number of compounds, which will be correlated with the organoleptic properties of the coffee in the cup or with the quality of the technological processes in use through a series of bioinformatics approaches.
The presentation event will be held at the National Institute of Roman Studies, Piazza Cavalieri di Malta, 2 - Rome.
