Evaluating acidity levels in packaged coffee to enhance product label accuracy

Abstract

Background:  Coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages. Coffee is enjoyed for a variety of reasons, including its sensory characteristics. Some sensory characteristics of coffee, such as acidity, are attributed to the levels of various organic acids and chlorogenic acids present in the brew. The amount and composition of these organic acids are considered key factors that influence the acidity of the coffee. Many roasted coffee products on the market claim to be low in acid or even acid-free altogether. Objective:  The objective of this study was to evaluate the acidity of different packaged coffee products. Materials and Methods: All coffee samples were brewed using the drip method per preparation instructions for each product, and pH values for all samples were measured and recorded. Results:  Our results revealed a wide range of pH values among the tested products, with the highest pH value (pH 5.72) in sample XL96 and the lowest value (pH 4.97) in sample XL10. The pH values for the remainder of the samples ranged between (pH 5.0-5.29). The highest TDS was observed in sample XL10 with a value of (2.7%), and the lower TDS was in sample XL21 with a value of (1%). Conclusions: The results thus support the importance of creating a standard for the accurate label in the packaged coffee products. Keywords: Packaged coffee, coffee, acidity, roasting, label, hot brew, total solids