Coffee
North Americans drink more coffee each day than any other beverage, including tap water - according to a report by the National Coffee Association - with over 50% of adults reporting that they drink it daily. Despite on-going supply disruptions and rising prices, demand has not flagged.
Due to its High Commercial Value, Coffee is Often the Target of Adulteration
The presence of impurities will interfere with the quality of the beverage. Adulterants can include coffee husks and sticks, corn, barley, oats, brown sugar, and soy, as well as plants such as açai and triticale. Most of these adulterants have less added value than coffee and a lot of similarities (particle size, texture, and color) when roasted and ground, which makes their detection difficult. In addition to impacts on quality, this fraud can also represent a risk to food safety.
Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
to Authenticate Coffee
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) can identify the presence and concentration of specific molecules in a sample, and provide detailed information on the product's composition. As an analytic tool, it’s ideal for authenticating coffee:
Test for Adulterants
As NMR can provide non targeted analytical data, it can reveal what else is in the coffee besides the product being validated.
Analysis of Coffee Species
NMR can quantify the relative percent of coffee species in a ground sample, i.e. Arabica vs. Robusta species, verifying label claims.
Quality Control
Investing in NMR analysis allows companies to build a comprehensive library of reference spectra that can be used for comparison with future samples, ensuring the safety and consistent quality of their products.
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