Coffee bean pulp: Unlocking the mystery of aroma!

Coffee, as one of the most popular drinks in the world, has a unique and mellow taste. This intoxicating aroma comes from the secret in the coffee bean pulp.

First, let's understand what the coffee bean pulp is. Coffee beans are actually the seeds inside the coffee cherry, and the cherry is the fruit that grows from the coffee tree. When the cherry is ripe, the outer layer will become red or yellow and is surrounded by a layer of sweet and juicy pulp.

After picking, the cherries are usually processed to obtain the seeds, i.e. coffee beans. There are two processing methods: dry and wet. In dry processing, the whole cherry is dried in the sun until the water evaporates and the skin hardens; in wet processing, the pulp is separated from the seeds and the mucus remaining on the surface of the beans is removed through a fermentation process.

Regardless of the method used, an irresistible and attractive aroma is released during the process. This is because the pulp is rich in volatile compounds such as esters, aldehydes and ketones. These compounds are gradually released during the processing and penetrate into the coffee beans.

When coffee beans are roasted, the pulp residue is completely burned, but the aroma they leave behind remains inside the beans. These aromas change with the degree of roasting. Light roasting usually retains more pulp aroma, making the coffee taste fresher and more fragrant, while deep roasting transforms the pulp aroma into a richer, deeper chocolate or nutty flavor.

In short, when deciphering the mystery of aroma, we cannot ignore the important role played by coffee bean pulp. They give coffee a charming aroma through their rich and diverse volatile compounds, and affect the final taste and flavor characteristics to varying degrees.