Science: The chemistry of coffee roasting

A mother coffee plant gifts its baby everything it needs to grow—a green seed packed with food. But when we roast coffee, we hijack that gift and turn it into something else: flavor.

But what is flavor, at a microscopic level? What actually happens inside the bean when heat meets those nutrients?

In this episode, we shrink down to witness the Maillard reaction up close—a wild chain of molecular collisions that transforms baby plant food into aromas we adore.

Grab your popcorn - you’re getting a front row seat at the wildest chemistry show in coffee.

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Season 3 is made possible by these leading coffee organizations:

The Coffee Quest | BWT | TODDY | Algrano | Probat

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