Visualizing Aroma

Posted on February 20, 2010 by Mike

What if you could easily isolate and identify each of the compounds above? Discovering unique and interesting coffees from hundreds of samples would become a lot easier. Similarly, desirable roast profiles would be easier to seek out and repeat.

Researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign have created a way to do just that using pigments that change color when exposed to gaseous compounds. We may soon be able to evaluate the aroma of our favorite coffees visually.

I bet Ben Helfen would even make a t-shirt.