Determination of trace elements in coffee beans by XRF spectrometer equipped with polarization optics and its application to identification of their production area

Abstract

The production area of coffee beans becomes a brand name, which gives reputations for the products, which is related to the price. This leads to room for mislabeling the products by unscrupulous market dealers. A rapid and easy method for the analysis of trace-element composition of coffee beans, which could be a good indicator of their production area, was studied in the present work. Coffee beans of 6 different regions (Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Tanzania, Guatemala) were analyzed by using a highly sensitive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer with three dimensional polarization optics. The experimental conditions were optimized so as to analyze 6 elements (Mn, Fe, Ni, Rb, Sr, Ba) in coffee beans, and linear calibration curves were obtained for the quantitative analysis of those elements. The analytical results were used in principal-component analysis to classify the coffee beans according to the geographical origin, which results in a successful characterization of the 6 production areas. It is found that roasted beans can be used with the same criterion as their green beans. Consequently, a rapid and easy way for the characterization of the geographic origin of coffee beans has been established in this study. © 2010 The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry.