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What Are the Fruity Aromas in Coffee and Why Does Coffee Smell So Good: Chemical Reactions During Roasting

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). FrontStreet Coffee - Brief Introduction to Coffee Flavor Sources. Aroma is an extremely important quality attribute in specialty coffee. Changes in aroma components include the dissipation of certain volatile compounds, but also the formation of others. Although the most appropriate and direct method to measure freshness is to examine...

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Coffee Flavor Sources

Aroma is a crucial quality attribute in specialty coffee. Changes in aroma components include the loss of certain volatile compounds as well as the formation of others. Although the most appropriate and direct method of measuring freshness is to examine the aroma and its evolution over time, we must acknowledge that coffee aroma and flavor are complex, elusive, and unstable.

Important Coffee Aroma Compounds and Their Names

The evolution of aroma begins as soon as roasting is complete. This process involves: the loss of highly volatile compounds; as well as oxidation reactions, or intrinsic chemical reactions between different coffee components.

Many aroma-active compounds are reactive species with functional groups such as thiols, carbonyls, and enolones. Depending on conditions like oxygen, moisture, and temperature, they evolve over time, thereby altering the perceived aroma of coffee.

The first research on coffee aroma degradation dates back to the 1940s, followed by numerous research groups that have studied the shelf life of roasted or ground coffee beans from chemical or sensory perspectives (or both). Measurements can be performed through various methods with different degrees of complexity. The aim is to find a suitable method for monitoring changes in aroma components.

Quantitative assessment of changes in aroma components during storage will help determine the loss of freshness. However, many compounds (thiols, diketones, aldehydes, vinyl derivatives) may react during storage. This can lead to a decrease or increase in the concentration of specific compounds. Therefore, the loss of freshness is best described as the gradual dissipation of the aroma profile. Aroma balance refers to the ratio of volatiles associated with it from a sensory perspective.

Coffee Fruit Flavors

Coffee exhibits various fruit flavors, with different varieties, growing regions, and roasting methods presenting different aromatic characteristics. Common fruit flavors include lemon, apple, apricot, plum, peach, and others.

Knowledge point: There are thousands of aroma types in coffee beans, and not all of them can be identified.

About FrontStreet Coffee

In short, FrontStreet Coffee is a dedicated coffee research establishment that enjoys sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation only to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Each month, we hold three coffee promotion events with significant discounts because FrontStreet Coffee wants to enable more friends to enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible price. This has been our mission for the past six years!

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