Finnish Scientists Unveil Process For Producing Lab-Grown Coffee

The scientific paper, published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, comes two years after scientists brewed coffee from cells grown in a laboratory for the first time in 2021.

It describes the exact process the scientists implemented to produce coffee, starting from the original coffee plant and establishing cell cultures to alter its aroma in the roasting process, caffeine content, flavour analysis, and sensory profiling by a panel of tasters.

Commercial Viability

Nevertheless, the paper highlighted that the journey of lab-grown coffee to grocery store shelves and into people’s kitchens is an ongoing process.

Dr Heiko Rischer, principal scientist and head of plant biotechnology at VTT, explained, “It is one thing to grow coffee cells in a bioreactor. Making it a commercially viable product is a whole other matter. The raw material derived from different cultivars and species, and the soil, the elevation, climate, and even the year when the particular coffee beans were grown plus the processes of roasting, fermentation, brewing, are all factors that impact the end product.

“While lab-grown coffee is much more controlled, different approaches to, for example, roasting significantly impact the aroma profile of the coffee which is a key consideration for the consumer.”

The paper also suggests stakeholders across the coffee value chain – spanning cultivators, roasters, blenders, fermenters, and coffee brands – to unite and devise a process for producing and commercialising this sustainable coffee variant.

ESM