Citric Acid in Coffee
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Like many living organisms, citric acid plays an important role as an intermediate compound in the plant's metabolic cycle. Citric acid in coffee beans accounts for a significant portion of the total acid intake and ultimately the development of acidity (acidity)
During roasting, citric acid reaches its maximum at the light to medium roasting level then rapidly decreases as the roasting level progresses. A typical medium roasting level will lose about 50% of the initial citric acid concentration and gradually lose it in the later stages of the roasting process.
From a taste perspective, citric exhibits strong sour properties similar to what we would taste in unripe fruit. Although pure citric acid is often used as a food additive, excessive citric acid is a sign of bad processing.
Since the high concentration of citric acid is found in unripe (green) coffee berries, it is important for manufacturers to choose only the most ripe ones, especially for those beans that are destined to become specialty coffee.
However, as the fruit ages, citric acid levels continue to decrease, along with increasing sugar levels. In general, Kenyan coffee has a lower concentration of citric acid than Central America, indicating a poorer form of plant metabolism.
References: coffeechemistry.com
