Valorisation of agro-food: Case study of the effects of traditional and oven roasting processes on the quality of date seed coffee

Abstract

This research explores the potential of using roasted date palm seeds from three Moroccan varieties (Boufeggous, Bouslikhen and Mejhoul) as a substitute for coffee. The focus is on the roasting step of the manufacturing process and its impact on the acceptance of the date seed coffee. The study involved a combination of infrared spectroscopic analysis (IR) and principal component analysis (PCA) for physicochemical characterization, as well as organoleptic testing for comparison of coffee quality. The goal is to find an alternative to coffee that carries no health risks.The study found that the roasting process has a strong impact on the quality of date seed coffee from the three varieties, Boufeggous, Bouslikhen and Mejhoul, using a combination of infrared spectroscopy and principal component analysis (PCA). The results of the organoleptic testing showed that consumers preferred the Mejhoul variety for both roasting methods. Furthermore, the study presents the potential of using date seeds as an alternate source of dietary fiber, phenolic compounds, and antioxidants, by using an agro-waste.