An initiative that combines science and technology to achieve a healthier coffee that is aligned with the demands of today’s consumers.
Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. It is part of the daily habits of millions of people and represents a source of pleasure, energy and socialization. However, in recent years there has been a growing interest in its nutritional profile and how the production and transformation processes influence its quality and potential health benefits.
The food industry faces the challenge of reformulating traditional products to make them healthier, more sustainable and safer, without sacrificing their taste and sensory properties. In this context, the nutritional improvement of coffee becomes a relevant challenge both for the agri-food sector and for the well-being of consumers.
Optimizing the nutritional value of coffee
The coffee brewing process, from the choice of the variety to the roasting or grinding, determines to a large extent its final composition. Factors such as temperature or roasting time can modify the presence of beneficial bioactive compounds, but also favor the formation of undesirable substances.
Among them is acrylamide, a substance that is naturally generated during roasting at high temperatures and that, in certain concentrations, can represent a health risk. Reducing its presence without altering the sensory characteristics of coffee is, therefore, a technological challenge of the first order.
At the same time, coffee is a natural source of antioxidants, such as chlorogenic acid, with anti-inflammatory properties and positive effects on metabolism. Finding a balance between preserving these beneficial compounds and minimizing contaminants is one of the great challenges in moving towards a healthier coffee.
Science applied to the process
The ProCafé project arose precisely to respond to this challenge. Its objective is to optimize the processing of coffee to enhance its antioxidant profile and reduce undesirable compounds, such as acrylamide, thus contributing to a healthier and safer beverage for the consumer.
The initiative is part of the R&D grants from the Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León (ICECyL), with the collaboration of the Regional Government of Castilla y León and co-financing from the ERDF, in the line of Excellence Projects in Technology Centers 2023.
The study, carried out at the CETECE Technology Center, has incorporated new analytical and technical capabilities to analyze how coffee varieties (arabica and robusta) and processing parameters (roasting, grinding or extraction) influence the final nutritional value. Thanks to the combination of food science and technological innovation, the project allows the identification of processing conditions that maintain an optimal balance between flavor, aroma and health benefits.
The results obtained confirm that there are significant differences between varieties and type of roasting. Robusta coffee in its green state presents a higher content of antioxidant compounds, while Arabica offers a more balanced sensory profile. During roasting, part of these compounds are reduced, although functionally relevant levels are maintained, reinforcing the potential of coffee as a natural source of antioxidants.
In addition, the behavior of acrylamide follows a non-linear evolution: it reaches its maximum in intermediate phases of roasting and decreases in darker roasts. This finding is key to adjusting the process parameters and achieving a coffee with a better balance between food safety and nutritional functionality.
Benefits and applications
ProCafé provides scientific knowledge that can be directly applied in the food industry, offering new process control tools and a solid basis for the design of value-added products.
The project’s advances reinforce the idea that coffee is not only a stimulating beverage, but also a natural source of bioactive compounds of interest for the development of enriched foods, supplements, or nutraceutical ingredients. This approach opens the door to market differentiation strategies and the valorization of a product with high economic and cultural potential.
At the technological level, the implementation of advanced analytical techniques allows research centers to have accurate data on the effects of processing on the nutritional quality of foods. This helps to improve traceability, reduce wastage and move towards more sustainable and efficient production.
Impact for the agri-food sector
The information generated by the project not only contributes value to the coffee sector, but is also projected towards other areas of the agri-food industry interested in the reformulation and nutritional improvement of their products. The knowledge acquired can be applied to the study of other processed foods, contributing to a more balanced diet aligned with the demands of today’s consumers.
In this way, the project is consolidated as an example of technology transfer that connects research with industrial application, favoring the competitiveness of companies and the development of solutions based on scientific evidence.
Towards a healthier and more sustainable diet
ProCafé represents a step forward in the search for healthier, safer and more sustainable foods. The joint work between applied research and technological innovation demonstrates that nutritional improvement can go hand in hand with processing excellence.
Coffee, beyond its aroma and cultural value, thus becomes a symbol of how science can transform daily habits, bringing wellbeing without renouncing the pleasure of a well-made cup.
