Identification of luwak coffee volatile compounds with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Gc-ms) method

Abstract

Luwak Coffee is considered high class coffee in the international market for its specialty taste. Aroma is one of the most important components of coffee. Coffee aroma compounds are volatile and non-volatile. Different volatile compounds can be caused by the different roasting level and the variety of coffee. One of approachment to detect the originality and volatile compounds of Luwak coffee and Arabica coffee is by analyzing their volatile compounds. The goal of this research was to detect the volatile compounds of Luwak coffee and Arabica coffee. This research was done in Pulo sari plantation, Pangalengan Bandung, and Laboratory of Health Polytechnic of Bandung, in January 2014. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to detect the volatile compounds. The results showed two volatile compounds can be distinguished from Luwak coffee from Arabica coffee, i.e. maltol and pyrazine 2,5 – dimethyl compounds.