Indonesian Researchers Develop 'Coffee Passport' System to Quantify Coffee Identity

A research team from the Environmental Instrumentation Research Group at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI) Bandung has introduced an innovative method for quantifying the identity of pure coffee powder. Led by Selly Feranie, the team developed an automated machine resembling a coffee maker to analyze coffee characteristics. This method focuses on identifying the coffee itself rather than evaluating whether it tastes good or bad, according to Feranie.

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This method does not target whether the coffee tastes good or not, but to identify the coffee.

The research, ongoing since last year, involved collaboration with coffee farmers in Garut, West Java, who produce original arabica and fermented "winey" varietals. The process begins with preparing a 10-gram sample of pure coffee powder, which is then brewed with 180 milliliters of hot water at 92 degrees Celsius. As the coffee aroma, carrying volatile ammonia gas (NH3), evaporates, it is detected by an MQ-135 sensor when the water temperature drops between 85-90 degrees Celsius. Simultaneously, a TCS3200 sensor measures the color of the coffee solution.

Further measurements are taken as the coffee cools below 60 degrees Celsius. These include assessing acidity (pH) and measuring Electrical Conductivity (EC) to determine mineral content and differentiate between coffee samples. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are also measured to gauge the concentration of suspended coffee particles, which affects the liquid's viscosity. Feranie emphasized that the system provides a "portrait of a coffee's characteristics" rather than a judgment on its quality or mineral content.

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We do not justify that this quality or mineral in coffee is better and so on, but more as a portrait of a coffee's characteristics.

To ensure consistency and reliability, the team conducted 10-20 repeated tests on the Garut coffee samples. The results indicated a pH of 4.1 and a winey aroma when measured between 89 and 50 degrees Celsius. The TDS was recorded at 678 milligrams per liter, EC at 1.405 mS/cm, and the coffee color suggested a medium roast. These five main parameters constitute what is termed "Cup Lens" or the identification of the coffee solution. The broader concept, Quantifiable Coffee Identity (QCI), also incorporates "Soil Lens" (land conditions), "Cultivation Lens" (geographical features, climate, soil nutrients), and "Post-Harvest Lens" (post-harvest handling). Feranie believes this comprehensive approach will create a "scientific passport" for each coffee, strengthening its brand and boosting market confidence. Future research in 2025 aims to develop "Smart Farming Coffee."

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Later, every coffee will have a scientific passport that can strengthen branding and increase market trust.