Coffee and Related Chemical Analysis

Coffee is one of the most popular and consumed beverages worldwide. Its consumption is incessantly increasing, with an average annual growth rate of 1.3% since 2012–13. Coffee contains a number of compounds, some of which are well known and present in high amounts, such as caffeine and chlorogenic acids. Moreover, several hundreds of other compounds and their derivatives are also present in coffee, such as polyphenols and diterpenes. These coffee components are studied both in the coffee beans (green, roasted, and ground) and in the brew. Furthermore, coffee displays a peculiar aroma profile, with several hundred volatiles reported. On the other hand, during the roasting process, green coffee beans undergo various changes due to different thermal reactions, most of them in the context of Maillard reactions (e.g., caramelization, Strecker degradation, and pyrolysis), which lead to the development of the desired physicochemical and organoleptic properties of roasted coffee beans and also to the formation of undesired compounds, such as acrylamide (AA). All methods of analysis, including sample preparation, will be welcome in the proposed Special Issue.