domenica 28 ottobre 2012

The varietal revolution in the espresso coffee cup

Did you ever wonder how the botanical variety can influence a coffee cup, especially when making an espresso?
We met Prof. Giorgio Graziosi, form the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Trieste, an expert in DNA research and analysis and one of the world’s leading specialists in the Rubiaceae family, focussing on Coffea Arabica, Liberica and Canephora.
The Department of Life Sciences of the University of Trieste carries out researches aimed at identifying new polymorphisms in various organisms and at their use for the study of people.
DNA polymorphisms are used for practical purposes such as paternity tests and personal identity checks. The main areas of active research are the analysis of autosomal polymorphisms in the Italian population, the analysis by family of the Y chromosome haplotypes, the identification of new polymorphisms in Coffea arabica and the characterization of Coffea arabica varieties.


The team headed by Prof. Graziosi at the University of Trieste has conducted genetics studies on coffee for 15 years, taking out several patents on both green and roasted coffee analysis, which will be beneficial to the industry. Through coffee DNA analysis and the use of the other patented tests, we will be able to identify the variety, or rather the cultivar, of any bean. First, we need to better understand what a variety/botanical species and a variety/cultivar of a vegetable species are.
To simplify matters, the term species indicates the difference between a pear and an apple, for instance, or between a dog and a cat.
The term variety, in a descriptive sense, suggests the different features within a biological species. However, the term has taken on another meaning, in a distinctive sense: “a variety” (restricted almost to its singularity) can be referred to a restricted part within the whole series of existing varieties, having characteristics somehow distinguishable from the rest of them.
A variety, in its distinctive meaning, is subject to the species and, although it may be accepted in taxonomy, it is certainly excluded from the rigorous system of taxonomic classification. With the development of knowledge of less obvious areas, such as the identification of genetic characters,
many other forms of listing and classification could be added to those already used through the years.
The terms variety and cultivar share the same meaning: taking apples as an example, the Fuji and Rennet ones are two different cultivars.
Talking about espresso coffee, especially in Italy, the product sold by roasters for the preparation of the drink is a blend of beans from different countries of origin, that are often mixtures of different botanical varieties produced by different growers. To make this clearer, let us draw a parallel with apple growing.
When we go to a supermarket and there is a wide range of different kinds of apples, we all come across the names of individual botanical varieties: Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady, Stark, Royal Gala and so on. As we all experience, as soon as we see a certain type of apple, we already “foretaste” its organoleptic properties through the sight: in a bright green apple with a smooth shiny skin, we would expect a thick crunchy and very juicy texture, with a strong acidity; a yellow/green apple, with a dull wrinkled skin, will make us think of a crisp yet soft feeling, a strong sweet taste, pleasantly juicy, and so on. As far as apples are concerned, everybody knows that
the taste of a Pink Lady grown in Italy will be identical with that of a Pink Lady grown in Chile. From these remarks, it comes natural to wonder why in the coffee business botanical varieties are not considered as a classifying feature, when buying and using the beans to make a blend.
Thinking about it, why should a Bourbon grown in Guatemala not be like a Bourbon grown in India, if considering similar altitude, weather conditions and processing methods?
Prof. Graziosi is the president of a University spin-off company, DNA-Analytica srl, which provides analyses that can identify the percentage of Arabica and Robusta in a roasted coffee bag with an undoubtedly higher degree of accuracy than other tests available on the market and are also able to detect the presence of GMOs. This test may not be essential, but it is necessary to get through some customs when importing coffee into the country.


Prof. Graziosi, how did the scientific community regard your research work on coffee throughout the years? Which producing countries did you work in close cooperatio with?
We have become quite popular among the coffee scientific community, although we have been opposed, at times, by those who had the monopoly on coffee research before we came about. Our research department is particularly valued and appreciated in coffee producing countries, like, for example, by the Coffee Board of the Democratic Republic of Congo and by the Indonesian Government. In these last years of research, we have established fruitful collaborations with many coffee producers such as India, Indonesia and Brazil. Working in close cooperation with the Indonesian government, for example, we analyzed the DNA of all the coffee plants grown in the country: we found out that they called different botanical varieties with the same name and vice versa.

What is your view on the origin-oriented market of coffee?
I am a bit surprised at how the green coffee business is operating, forgetting to take coffee cultivars into account, but rather just the country of origin. I believe the green coffee market should evolve towards botanical varieties, hence a diversified offer: different botanical varieties surely have a different taste, which can be found even where weather conditions are different. Climate and terroir do not influence that much the final result in the cup: the core of the taste comes from the genetic basis, that is then affected by the weather. 80- 85% of the taste of a coffee comes from the cultivar and the rest from the terroir. More and more consumers are now demanding quality and knowledge of what they are buying, so the international roasted coffee market will necessarily have to follow this set route and enable them to identify their coffee through the cultivar.  However, there’s a long way to go yet, considering the green coffee business is still set on origins, trade classification depending on whether it is an Arabica or a Robusta, processing methods and number of defects. Cultivars have currently gained some importance only in the limited market for speciality coffees, when it comes to fixing price as well as for their organoleptic properties.

All in all, Prof. Graziosi, what are your prospects for the newly-established DNA-analytica Srl?
I would say that the prospects can only be prosperous. A new legislation on food traceability is about to come into force within the European Union, which will require all food labels to clearly state all raw materials used. It is therefore reasonable to assume that DNA-analytica, thanks to the great expertise gained in identifying coffee  varieties, will become the industry landmark.