Nav: Home > Coffee News >

Understand why coffee is bitter?

Published: 2026-05-19 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/05/19, Why is coffee bitter? This problem has plagued scientists for decades. Now, scientists have narrowed down their research and targeted two chemical molecules. At the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, scientists reported that the two bitter chemical molecules were produced during the processing of coffee, a discovery that may cause coffee to be added.

Why is coffee bitter? This problem has plagued scientists for decades.

Now, scientists have narrowed down their research and targeted two chemical molecules. At the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, scientists reported that the two bitter chemical molecules were produced during the processing of coffee, a discovery that could revolutionize the coffee processing industry.

Thomas Hoffman of the University of Technology in Munich, Germany, and his colleagues once again separated the brewed coffee. After analysis by mass spectrometer, Hoffman identified one of the molecules, chlorogenic acid lactone, which is a decomposition product of chlorogenic acid (found in almost all plants). Hoffman's team then prepared a series of different coffees to determine the content of chlorogenic acid lactone. Although lactone will only produce mild bitterness in mild and moderate roasted coffee, the secondary decomposition products of lactone will produce strong bitterness if the coffee beans are roasted for a long time.

FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou China, selling freshly roasted beans from its own farm in Yunnan as well as dozens of carefully selected single-origin beans from around the world for both pour-over and espresso. The products deliver consistently excellent quality and great value, with shipping within 24 hours. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers, and the beans are now available online at the Tmall 。