Chemistry of Tea and Coffee

Dear colleagues,

Coffee, together with tea, is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, both having been consumed for thousands of years for their alluring flavors and health benefits. Coffee contains several nutrients such as sugars, proteins, and lipids, as well as other bioactive compounds, including amino acids, caffeine, trigonelline, chlorogenic acids, and other phenolics, particularly flavonoids and phenolic acids. These are in great abundance in both tea and coffee and contribute a lot to their flavor and health properties. In addition, a considerable amount of volatiles is included. For this reason, coffee’s characterization and different species are studied continuously, also in relation to postharvest processing carried out, or roasting processes that aim to preserve the integrity of these compounds. Different studies regard sensory analysis and consumer acceptance. In addition, in recent years, a great deal of interest is turning to byproducts and waste, which are also themselves sources of sugars, proteins, lipids, and other bioactive compounds. For example, spent coffee grounds (SCG), the solid residue obtained after beverage preparation, is the main coffee industry residue and exceeds a worldwide production of 6 million tons per year.

Some attempts for a SCG second life have been made, e.g., biofuel for industrial boilers due to its high calorific power, source of fatty acids for biodiesel production, polysaccharides with immunostimulatory activity, antioxidant material, substrates for mushroom cultivation, and sources for preparation of new beverage formulations.

This Special Issue aims to attract contributions on:

1) All technology aspects of coffee production and their impact on coffee chemistry, nutritional and sensory quality, and consumer acceptance;

2) Study of byproduct valorization of coffee, potentialities, and perspectives further with a view to the actual topic of waste management, advocating the circular economy.

Dr. Francesca Masino
Guest Editor

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