Espresso coffee (EC) by POD: Study of thermal profile during extraction process and influence of water temperature on chemical–physical and sensorial properties

In this work the thermal profiles of five coffee pods (pure Arabica, pure Robusta, and Arabica Robusta blends: A20R80, A80R20, and A40R60) at 90, 100 and 110 °C are reported. Moreover the chemical–physical and sensorial properties of espresso coffee (EC) obtained from five different coffee pods were investigated. The analysis of the thermal profiles highlighted that the extraction process can be considered as an isothermal process because, after a starting phase, the recorded temperatures stayed around a mean temperature (T_m). In addition the T_m recorded for each extraction temperature was significantly lower than those set up by the controller. The chemical–physical parameters of EC samples increased proportionally with extraction temperature highlighting that the effectiveness of extraction process scales up with percolation temperature. The solid and caffeine contents of the EC samples extracted at 110 °C are related to an over extraction process. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to identify relationships and differences among EC samples. Pure Arabica and A80R20 EC samples at 100 and 110 °C have shown sensorial attributes typical for a fine espresso coffee.