Brewing a New Aroma: Suntory Patents Coffee with Enhanced Fruity and Floral Notes

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In the highly competitive world of coffee, producers are constantly seeking new ways to create distinctive and flavorful profiles that stand out to consumers. A recent European patent application (EP4631358A1) from Suntory Holdings Limited unveils a novel approach to achieving this: the production of coffee beans with significantly elevated levels of a specific aroma compound called ethyl tiglate, resulting in a more flavorful cup of coffee.

The Key Ingredient: Ethyl Tiglate

The core of Suntory's invention is the creation of coffee beans that contain 0.1 parts per million (ppm) or more of ethyl tiglate. This compound is described as a crucial contributor to coffee flavor, but it is notably absent or present only in trace amounts in conventional coffee beans.

The patent demonstrates that in a wide range of commercially available green coffee beans from origins like Guatemala, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Vietnam, ethyl tiglate was simply "not detected" (meaning less than 0.1 ppm). Through their unique production method, Suntory was able to produce coffee beans with ethyl tiglate concentrations ranging from about 0.2 ppm to over 23 ppm.

The Production Method: Targeted Fermentation

The secret to boosting ethyl tiglate lies in a carefully controlled fermentation process. The method involves two key steps:

1. Adding Specific Yeast: A yeast is added to raw material beans, which can be coffee cherries, wet parchment (beans with their mucilage still attached), or unroasted green coffee beans.

2. Fermentation: The beans, now inoculated with yeast, are fermented for a period ranging from 1 hour to over 200 hours.

The choice of yeast is critical. Suntory identifies specific strains from the genera Magnusiomyces and Saprochaete as being particularly effective. Examples include Saprochaete suaveolens and Magnusiomyces magnusii. In contrast, common fermentation yeasts like Saccharomyces cerevisiae (used in bread and beer) failed to produce any detectable ethyl tiglate.

An optional but impactful step is the addition of the amino acid isoleucine (0.01 g or more per kg of beans). The data shows that adding isoleucine significantly boosts the final ethyl tiglate content, acting as a precursor in the metabolic pathway.

The Result: A Superior Coffee Beverage

The patent provides compelling sensory evaluation data to support its claims. Coffee beverages brewed from these fermented beans were rated significantly higher by expert panels than the control.

The improved flavor profile was characterized by:

• A reduction in "bean-derived earthy odor unsuitable for a coffee beverage."

• A reduction in "odd taste unsuitable for a coffee beverage."

• An increase in the "richness of aroma suitable for a coffee beverage."

Furthermore, the invention extends beyond the beans themselves to the final beverage. The patent claims a coffee beverage containing not only ethyl tiglate but also a suite of complementary aroma compounds that are produced during the fermentation, including:

• Isobutyl acetate (fruity, banana)

• Ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple)

• Ethyl isovalerate (fruity)

• Isoamyl alcohol (pungent, whiskey)

• Isoamyl acetate (banana, pear)

The patent specifies optimal concentration ranges for these compounds in the beverage (e.g., 5-5000 ppb for ethyl tiglate) to ensure a desirable flavor profile, whether they come from the fermented beans or are added directly as purified products.

Advantages and Applications

This technology offers several key advantages:

• Enhanced Flavor: It directly addresses the demand for more flavorful and aromatic coffee.

• Flexibility: The process can be implemented at various stages—in coffee-producing countries using cherries or wet parchment, or in consuming countries using imported green beans. It can even be carried out during transportation.

• Value-Added Products: It enables the creation of premium, distinctive coffee products and packaged beverages with a consistent and appealing aroma profile.

Suntory's patent represents a significant innovation in coffee processing. By moving beyond traditional fermentation methods and leveraging specific microbial strains and biochemical pathways, they have unlocked a new way to engineer a highly sought-after flavor compound directly into the coffee bean. This approach paves the way for a new category of coffees with enhanced, complex, and fruity aromatic notes, offering a tangible point of differentiation for roasters and a novel tasting experience for consumers.

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