Shelf-life of mono-varietal coffee packaged in capsules.

The self-protected capsules available on the market have barrier characteristics capable of guaranteeing the shelf-life of the product. Generally, however, the determination of the minimum storage time does not consider the type of coffee contained in the capsule, but only the characteristics of the materials used and the packaging techniques. In this regard, the aim of this research was to evaluate how the variety of coffee can influence the shelf-life of coffee packaged in capsules. Self-protected capsules containing Arabica and Robusta mono varietal coffee were analyzed, the samples were analyzed in a range of time from 0 to 24 months of storage. Analyzes of the volatile fraction were carried out on the coffee powder by SPME-GC-MS, while an evaluation of the acceptability by consumers was carried out on the coffee drink. The analysis of volatile compounds made it possible to identify about 90 compounds belonging to different chemical classes including acids, ketones, furans, pyrazines, pyridines, pyrroles and sulfur compounds. The results obtained underlined, as expected, a difference in the volatile composition of the two varieties; the main differences are attributable to the contents in pyrazine and furan compounds. The analyzes conducted during the months of storage showed variations in the volatile fraction; the results identify the Arabica variety as the most stable over time. Moreover, sensory analysis found that the same cultivar Arabica has been most appreciated by consumers throughout the period of the study. The research results may be useful to indicate that the shelf-life of these products is not only a function of the MOCAs and packaging techniques used for the production of the capsules, but a function of the variety of coffee contained.