1H NMR-based approach to determine the geographical origin and cultivation method of roasted coffee

Abstract

A comprehensive study of 603 roasted arabica coffee samples using NMR fingerprinting and multivariate data analysis was performed to differentiate coffee samples according to their geographical origin and cultivation method. Both lipophilic and hydrophilic coffee metabolites were recorded using ¹H NMR spectroscopy, and principal component analysis followed by linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA) was applied. Coffee samples were fist differentiated according to their continents of origin followed by discrimination of coffee samples from Brazil, Ethiopia, and Colombia from coffee samples originating from another continent. Discrimination of coffee samples according to their continent of origin and additional assignment to the countries Brazil and Ethiopia were successful. However, an unambiguous separation of Colombian coffee samples from coffee samples of another continent (other than South America) was not possible. Also, differentiation of organically and conventionally produced coffee samples by using ¹H NMR and PCA-LDA was not achieved.

Keywords: (1)H NMR spectroscopy; Coffea Arabica; Geographical origin; Multivariate data analysis; Organic foods; Roasted coffee.