How Coffee Capsules Affect the Volatilome in Espresso Coffee

Coffee capsules have become one of the most used methods to have a coffee in the last few years. In this work, coffee was prepared using a professional espresso coffee machine. We investigated the volatilome of four different polypropylene coffee capsule typologies (Biologico, Dolce, Deciso, Guatemala) with and without capsules in order to reveal the possible differences in the VOCs spectra. The volatilome of each one was singularly studied through an analysis by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS), checking the abundance of different VOCs in coffee extracted with and without a capsule protection and compared to its related sample. Furthermore, ANOVA and Tukey tests were applied to statistically identify and individuate the possible differences. As a result, it was found that coffee capsules, offer advantages of protecting coffee from oxidation or rancidity and, consequently extended shelf life as well as did not cause a reduction of volatile compounds intensity. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that the aroma of polypropylene coffee capsule extraction is not damaged compared to a traditional espresso.

Two deaths due to explosion of cylinders of liquid petroleum gas

Background Cylinder blasts can inflict multi-system life-threatening injuries to one or many persons simultaneously if they are nearby. The explosion in high-pressure equipment produces injuries due to its varied effects. Cases have been reported where the blast occurred in balloon gas cylinder, oxyacetylene gas cylinder, oxygen cylinder, coffee machine, and compressor of a split air conditioner (AC). Most of the cases are accidental. The investigation into the blast circumstances is of utmost importance to find out the manner and device involved. Case presentation Here, we present a report of two cases where victims suffered blast injuries at the same location due to the explosion of two different capacity liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) domestic cylinder and died on the spot. Conclusion The investigation into the blast circumstances is of utmost importance to find out the manner and device involved. Malpractice involving use of cylinder to fill another one might be dangerous for the person involved and present in the vicinity. This practice should be discouraged by lay person.

The Implementation of Multilevel Colour Thresholding on a Prototype Coffee Machine

The development of computer vision has expanded widely as there is a vast number of its applications in various aspects of daily life. One of its implementations is integrating the image processing technique on a prototype coffee machine based on the speech recognition system. This study aims to detect the requested coffee colour spoken by users which are black, middle and light. The sensor used in this research is a digital PC camera and the applied method is Multilevel Colour Thresholding. Of all experiments conducted, the image processing technique can work perfectly as the camera is able to identify the requested colour of the coffee solution. Furthermore, the system might be developed by improving the multilevel colour thresholding technique as well as advancing the hardware design in order to establish more robust coffee machine based on the requested colour.

Impact of Brewing Methods on Total Phenolic Content (TPC) in Various Types of Coffee

Coffee is a widely consumed beverage, both in Europe, where its consumption is highest, and on other continents. It provides many compounds, including phenolic compounds. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of various brewing methods on the total phenolic content (TPC) in the infusion. Research material comprised commercially available coffees: Instant Arabica and Robusta, freshly ground Arabica and Robusta (immediately prior to the analysis), ground Arabica and Robusta, decaffeinated Arabica, and green Arabica and Robusta. The following preparation methods were used: Pouring hot water over coffee grounds or instant coffee, preparing coffee in a percolator and using a coffee machine. Additional variables which were employed were water temperature (90 or 100 °C) and its type (filtered or unfiltered). In order to determine the impact of examined factors, 225 infusion were prepared. Total phenolic content was determined by the spectrophotometric method using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and the obtained results were expressed in mg gallic acid (GAE) per 100 g of brewed coffee. The highest value was obtained for 100% Arabica ground coffee prepared in a coffee percolator using unfiltered water at a temperature of 100 °C: 657.3 ± 23 mg GAE/100 g of infusion. High values were also observed for infusions prepared in a coffee machine, where the highest TPC value was 363.8 ± 28 mg GAE/100 g for ground Arabica. In turn, the lowest TPC was obtained for Arabica green coffee in opaque packaging, brewed with filtered water at a temperature of 100 °C: 19.5 ± 1 mg GAE/100 g of infusion. No significant effect of temperature and water type on the TPC within one type of coffee was observed. Due to its high content of phenolic compounds, Arabica coffee brewed in a coffee percolator should be the most popular choice for coffee drinkers.

Snackomat - A Vending Machine To Create Positive Experiences By Bringing People In Contact And Initiating Small Talk In Waiting Situations

The “Snackomat” is a vending machine offering snacks for free, installed in waiting situations, and is designed to initiate small talk and therewith to create a positive experience. Here, we experimentally compare the effect on user experience of the Snackomat to the effect of a coffee machine as control condition with 58 participants. Participants’ behaviour was observed in waiting situations where observers were blind to the study’s objective. The two experimental conditions were compared with an analysis of covariance. The alpha levels were Bonferroni corrected. Significant results with strong effect size indicate that the Snackomat was more effective in creating positive experiences than a coffee machine in a control condition. However, the experimental setting most likely attenuated differences between the two conditions. Future studies should thus replicate the findings in a natural setting. Nevertheless the Snackomat is a promising application example of designing for positive experiences.

Correlating Espresso Quality with Coffee-Machine Parameters by Means of Association Rule Mining

Coffee is among the most popular beverages in many cities all over the world, being both at the core of the busiest shops and a long-standing tradition of recreational and social value for many people. Among the many coffee variants, espresso attracts the interest of different stakeholders: from citizens consuming espresso around the city, to local business activities, coffee-machine vendors and international coffee industries. The quality of espresso is one of the most discussed and investigated issues. So far, it has been addressed by means of human experts, electronic noses, and chemical approaches. The current work, instead, proposes a data-driven approach exploiting association rule mining. We analyze a real-world dataset of espresso brewing by professional coffee-making machines, and extract all correlations among external quality-influencing variables and actual metrics determining the quality of the espresso. Thanks to the application of association rule mining, a powerful data-driven exhaustive and explainable approach, results are expressed in the form of human-readable rules combining the variables of interest, such as the grinder settings, the extraction time, and the dose amount. Novel insights from real-world coffee extractions collected on the field are presented, together with a data-driven approach, able to uncover insights into the espresso quality and its impact on both the life of consumers and the choices of coffee-making industries.

Speed and rotation variations in gathering coffee machine

The mechanized harvesting operation of coffee sweep from ground have a great importance, due the value of the coffee that was lost by the harvest process, as well as the breakdown of the cycle of pests that can damage the coffee. To change work settings can influence significantly the capacity of the gathering system. Due, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence the speed of displacement and rotations of the components of gathering coffee machine in its performance. The experiment was carried out in the municipality of Presidente Olegário-MG on coffee plantations aged 10 to 11 years. The field, presenting an average of 990 kg ha-1 of coffee present in the soil after the machine harvest. The engine rotations of the tractor evaluated were 146.6, 162.3, 178.0, 193.7, and 209.4 rad.s-1 combined with the 1stA and 2ndA gears, resulting in different working speeds. The treatments were distributed in randomized blocks with five replicates. The variables analyzed were the gathering efficiency, cleaning efficiency, coffee losses, and percentage of mineral and vegetal impurities. It was concluded that the gathering efficiency was higher when working with 178.0 rad.s-1 at 1.26 km h-1, resulting in lower coffee losses in the operation, a preponderant factor in the study. On the other hand, the best cleaning efficiency of the machine was found when using 193.7 rad.s-1 and 1.37 km h-1.