Grounding Green Grading in Sensory Science: Research to Understand Physical Coffee Defects

The SCA’s Publications Manager, Laurel Carmichael, introduces a Coffee Science Foundation research project on the sensory impact of physical defects in green coffee, undertaken at the Coffee Excellence Center at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences. The plain-language article offers a preliminary overview of the research in progress, explaining the motivations for the research and the study design and hinting at preliminary findings. 

The article offers a plain-language foundation for anyone wanting to understand the current defect system, why new research was necessary, and how the research will support the development of new standards for physical coffee assessment. It is especially recommended for trainers, Q graders, and green coffee professionals. 

Access the article free with an SCA Portal account (choose Associate Member).