Cascara is becoming increasingly relevant in the coffee industry, which is reflected in its increased use as tea infusion and mixed in cold drinks. The valorization of cascara is relevant for coffee farmers as well as buyers, since it offers potential for additional income derived from what has typically been considered a waste product post-harvest processing. This lecture will examine the impacts of different drying techniques as well as storage time on the chemical composition of cascara; the aroma of cascara and how it changes with different processing techniques including roasting; and health-promoting substances identified in several cascara samples.

Presenter:

Dr. Sebastian Opitz is the head of green coffee at the Coffee Excellence Center of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and a chemist as well as a biologist by training. He is responsible for green coffee related projects at the Center, where methods of analytical chemistry are applied to answer questions not only about the green bean. He is also teaching green coffee in the CSP program as well as in eCAS program of the ZHAW.