Do the Acids in Coffee Bother You? Chlorogenic Acid and Derivatives

Chemistry, Food
Although there are a host of organic acids found in coffee, and a variety of factors, such as brew temperature and grind size, affect these acids, the chlorogenic acids and their roasting derivatives, the caffeic and quinic acids, stand out. What are these acids, and how do they play a definitive role in the coffee we drink? Coffee Chemistry: Chlorogenic Acid Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a combination ester and acid derived from two acids: caffeic acid and quinic acid. These two acids each contain not only an acid group, but alcohol groups as well. A carbon atom plus two oxygen atoms and a hydrogen atom makes up the carboxylic acid group – we often write this as –COOH or –CO₂H. An alcohol group consists of an oxygen and a hydrogen…
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