Two-Step Coffee Extraction for Aroma and Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing coffee extracts often result in high concentration extracts with both coffee-specific aroma and off-flavors, making it difficult to achieve a balance between maintaining aroma and reducing off-flavors.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a two-step extraction process where the first step uses water at 70 to 120°C and the second step uses water at 125 to 150°C, followed by evaporative concentration and mixing of the extracts to enhance coffee-specific aroma and reduce off-flavors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If coffee extraction is performed at high temperature to increase extraction efficiency and concentration, then the coffee extract concentration increases, but off-flavor components are also extracted and the coffee-specific aroma deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction process is divided into two distinct stages: a first extraction step at lower temperature (70-120°C) to obtain coffee-specific aroma components, and a second extraction step at higher temperature (125-150°C) to extract concentration components. This segmentation allows selective extraction of different flavor components at different temperatures, resolving the contradiction between concentration and off-flavor reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The first extraction step is performed preliminarily at lower temperature to pre-concentrate the coffee-specific aroma components before the second extraction step. This preliminary action ensures that the desirable aroma components are captured early, while the second step can focus on extracting concentration components without compromising the aroma quality.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If coffee extraction is performed at low temperature to maintain coffee-specific aroma, then off-flavors are reduced, but the coffee extract concentration is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction process is segmented into two temperature zones: low temperature (70-120°C) for aroma extraction and high temperature (125-150°C) for concentration extraction. By separating these functions into different extraction steps, the method achieves both low off-flavors and high concentration without compromising either aspect.
Solution Approach 2:
The coffee extract from the first low-temperature extraction step (rich in aroma) is combined with the coffee extract from the second high-temperature extraction step (rich in concentration) after the second step's evaporative concentration. This merging integrates the benefits of both temperature conditions, achieving both high aroma and high concentration simultaneously.
3Device complexity
If a single extraction step is used to produce high concentration coffee extract, then the process is simple, but both coffee-specific aroma and off-flavors are extracted without selectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction process is segmented into two distinct temperature-based steps with different extraction objectives. The first step (70-120°C) targets aroma components while the second step (125-150°C) targets concentration components. This segmentation introduces controlled complexity to achieve selective extraction, resolving the contradiction between process simplicity and extraction selectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The extraction temperature parameter is changed between the two steps: from 70-120°C in the first step to 125-150°C in the second step. This parameter change enables different extraction selectivities, allowing the process to target different component types in each step while maintaining overall process manageability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively produces a coffee extract with increased coffee-specific aroma and reduced off-flavors, as demonstrated by sensory evaluation tests.
Implementation Method 1
a first extraction step in which water at 70 to 120° C. is supplied to a column packed with roasted and ground coffee beans
Implementation Method 2
c) a step of evaporating and concentrating the coffee extract prepared in the second extraction step
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a coffee extract with increased coffee-specific aroma and reduced off-flavors is provided. A coffee extract prepared by extraction at low temperature (70 to 120° C.) in the first extraction step is mixed with a coffee extract prepared by an evaporative concentration treatment after the second extraction step, in which roasted and ground coffee beans used in the first extraction step is used for extraction at high temperature (125 to 150° C.).