Chemical Changes in the Components of Coffee Beans during Roasting

Roasting is probably the most important factor in the development of the complex flavors that make coffee enjoyable. During the roasting process, the beans undergo many complex and poorly defined chemical reactions, leading to important physical changes and formation of the substances responsible for the sensory qualities of the beverage. This chapter describes the chemical changes of the main components of green coffee beans: carbohydrates (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides), chlorogenic acids, quinic acids, trigonelline, proteins, peptides, and free amino acids, as well as the formation of aliphatic acids, lactones, aroma components, and melanoidins during the coffee bean roasting process, based on the results of recent studies.