compared to 70% share of coffee “Arabica” in world [8]. After the roasting,
grinding, and fermentation, highly advanced analytical techniques, such as chromatography, spectroscopy (UV, NIR, MIR, visible, and Raman), Isotopic analysis,
volatile analysis, proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), enzymelinked immunosorbent assay, polymerase chain reaction, and thermal analysis, are
the principal techniques that have been successfully applied for identification,
differentiation, and authentication of coffee beans [9, 10]. Globally (specialty) coffee
can be classified based on many factors like geographical locations of origin, cultural
variations, taste preferences, production technology (soluble, insoluble, and freeze
dried), bean stripping technology (dry, wet, or washed and semi-washed), extent of
grounding the green beans, degree and the way of roasting and fermentation, way of
water percolation and its duration, temperature of percolating water, application or
absence of external pressure, and finally the combination of coffee beverage with
milk, flavors, sugar syrup, alcohol, etc. [11–13]. But the name specialty coffee
should not be mistaken and confused with all above types or with premier quality
of coffees. The term specialty coffee actually represents all the well-differentiated
coffee products beyond the abovementioned two varieties which coffee industries
introduced after sabotage of international coffee agreement [14]. Now, specialty
coffee has moved from niche to more than an industry. Many definitions about the
specialty coffee already exist at professional and consumer level. According to
Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), Specialty Coffee Association of
Europe (SCAE), and the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (CCGF) extrinsic
and intrinsic factors are involved in defining the specialty coffees. Extrinsic system
refers to microclimatic production system which produces a sustainable coffee with
sustainable intrinsic factors like taste, aroma, and flavor, etc. [15]. From the point of
view of the consumer, coffee is considered specialty when it is perceived and valued
by consumers for a set of unique characteristics that differentiate it from other
conventional coffees [14, 15]. Specialty coffee also includes coffee beans production
certified as organic coffee, fair trade, rainforest alliance, or eco-friendly which
account for fertilizer, pesticide-free production system, etc., by consolidation of
bio conservation, socioeconomic sustainable development, good agricultural practices, and farm management. Specialty coffee also has a core relationship with the
Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification, a certification for protection
and provenience of quality, which correlates the product with its specific regional
culture and operating methods, atmospheric conditions, and raw material [15].
The word quality is difficult to define. But according to International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the quality is defined as “the ability of a set of
inherent characteristics of a product, system or process to fulfill requirement of
customers and other interested parties” [16]. These inherent characteristics can be
referred to “attributes.” These attributes are variable in “production-consumption
cycle” of coffee. At farmer level, it is the combination of input cost and net profit; at
business level, combination of attributes is wide, complex and involves physical
features, defects percentage, regularity in provisioning, and price. At roasting level
origin, moisture, price, organoleptic features, and repeatability of these features are
important. Finally for consumer, the attributes for coffee include price, taste, flavor,
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A. Hameed et al.
grinding, and fermentation, highly advanced analytical techniques, such as chromatography, spectroscopy (UV, NIR, MIR, visible, and Raman), Isotopic analysis,
volatile analysis, proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS), enzymelinked immunosorbent assay, polymerase chain reaction, and thermal analysis, are
the principal techniques that have been successfully applied for identification,
differentiation, and authentication of coffee beans [9, 10]. Globally (specialty) coffee
can be classified based on many factors like geographical locations of origin, cultural
variations, taste preferences, production technology (soluble, insoluble, and freeze
dried), bean stripping technology (dry, wet, or washed and semi-washed), extent of
grounding the green beans, degree and the way of roasting and fermentation, way of
water percolation and its duration, temperature of percolating water, application or
absence of external pressure, and finally the combination of coffee beverage with
milk, flavors, sugar syrup, alcohol, etc. [11–13]. But the name specialty coffee
should not be mistaken and confused with all above types or with premier quality
of coffees. The term specialty coffee actually represents all the well-differentiated
coffee products beyond the abovementioned two varieties which coffee industries
introduced after sabotage of international coffee agreement [14]. Now, specialty
coffee has moved from niche to more than an industry. Many definitions about the
specialty coffee already exist at professional and consumer level. According to
Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), Specialty Coffee Association of
Europe (SCAE), and the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (CCGF) extrinsic
and intrinsic factors are involved in defining the specialty coffees. Extrinsic system
refers to microclimatic production system which produces a sustainable coffee with
sustainable intrinsic factors like taste, aroma, and flavor, etc. [15]. From the point of
view of the consumer, coffee is considered specialty when it is perceived and valued
by consumers for a set of unique characteristics that differentiate it from other
conventional coffees [14, 15]. Specialty coffee also includes coffee beans production
certified as organic coffee, fair trade, rainforest alliance, or eco-friendly which
account for fertilizer, pesticide-free production system, etc., by consolidation of
bio conservation, socioeconomic sustainable development, good agricultural practices, and farm management. Specialty coffee also has a core relationship with the
Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification, a certification for protection
and provenience of quality, which correlates the product with its specific regional
culture and operating methods, atmospheric conditions, and raw material [15].
The word quality is difficult to define. But according to International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the quality is defined as “the ability of a set of
inherent characteristics of a product, system or process to fulfill requirement of
customers and other interested parties” [16]. These inherent characteristics can be
referred to “attributes.” These attributes are variable in “production-consumption
cycle” of coffee. At farmer level, it is the combination of input cost and net profit; at
business level, combination of attributes is wide, complex and involves physical
features, defects percentage, regularity in provisioning, and price. At roasting level
origin, moisture, price, organoleptic features, and repeatability of these features are
important. Finally for consumer, the attributes for coffee include price, taste, flavor,
644
A. Hameed et al.