Instant coffee with steamed PVA beans: Physical-chemical and sensory aspects

Abstract

Around 20% of Brazilian coffee production corresponds to defective beans (PVA), which decreases the quality of the coffee brews. Steam treatment has been reported as an alternative to improve the cup quality of coffee products. This research aimed to study the feasibility of using steamed Robusta PVA beans in instant coffee products. After the steam treatment (2 bar for 3 min), the Robusta PVA was dried, roasted, subjected to extraction in a pilot plant, and freeze-dried. The steamed and untreated Robusta PVA materials (raw, roasted, and instant coffees) and blends of instant Arabica coffee with PVA were characterized. The steamed Robusta PVA instant coffee presented 7.01 g caffeine and 8.74 g total chlorogenic acids in 100 g product. Instant coffee blends with 30% and 50% of steamed Robusta PVA in Arabica coffee were studied. A sensory difference between blends with steamed and untreated Robusta PVA was only perceived by the addition of 50% PVA. The blend with 50% of steamed coffee was preferred and well accepted (average grade of 7.9 on a 10-scale). The use of steamed Robusta PVA coffee (under mild steam treatment conditions, 2 bar/3 min) in instant coffee was viable, and it was obtained an instant coffee to be used in a blend with 50% of Arabica coffee with a good profile of bioactive compounds and sensory acceptance.