Accademia has launched chemical and genetic research on coffee in collaboration with PNAT and ENEA – a unique project aimed at deepening the knowledge of coffee and at studying the scientific base behind the measurement of cup quality and its characteristics.

Pian di San Bartolo (FI), 01/10/2020 | Accademia del Caffè Espresso, the new cultural hub powered by La Marzocco, has launched a challenging research project on the sensory, genetic and chemical analysis of coffee.

The ultimate goal is to combine sensory analysis with a chemical and genetic data-sheet of different coffee varieties, which will potentially provide experts with an opportunity to define a connection between the genetic, chemical and organoleptic characteristics of coffee and the aromas of the cup, and ultimately to foster traceability of high quality coffee.

The 3-year research project, in collaboration with PNAT, a spin-off of the University of Florence under the guidance of Professor Stefano Mancuso, and ENEA, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development. The project involves coffee institutions in El Salvador (CSC), Honduras (IHCAFE), Costa Rica (ICAFE) and Guatemala (ANACAFE), as well as ACE and Cup of Excellence.

Research will begin with the analysis of over 400 coffee samples from Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Honduras. Each sample comes with it own sensory sheet, drafted by local judges and research trials to find a connection with the results of the chemical and genetics labs.

PNAT and the University of Florence are responsible for the chemical tests, while ENEA’s team is in charge of the genetic research. The project aims to analyze coffee samples from other origin countries and with the assistance of two research associates: Cosimo Taiti for the University of Florence and Sarah Frusciante for ENEA.