Coffee is widely consumed as a beverage because of the stimulating effect it produces in humans. The aroma of coffee contributes to the flavor and taste of the beverage and has consequently led to extensive research on coffee. Hundreds of volatile/semi-volatile aroma and flavor compounds have been identified in coffee using traditional laboratory based headspace GC/MS systems1. We present a study for rapid fingerprinting of coffee volatile/semi-volatile compounds using solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) coupled to a portable GC/MS system for separation and detection.
The on-site analysis of coffee using portable technology can be used for quick quality control check of raw and finished products, comparison of competitor products, analysis of storage conditions or for process development.