Characterization and correlation of roasted and ground coffee monosaccharides for fraud detection

Brazil is a key player in the global coffee market, where quality is traditionally assessed through subjective cupping protocol. This study proposes an objective method to detect coffee adulteration by quantifying characteristic monosaccharides via High-Performance Anion Exchange Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection. A reference ratio was established using pure, traceable coffee samples with full origin control. A threshold value (0.125) was defined based on samples provided by the Ministry of Agriculture. The method was tested on additional controlled samples and commercial coffees from Paraná and São Paulo, successfully identifying adulteration with as little as 3% of corn, wheat, or barley, and 10% coffee husk. These results highlight the method's reliability and potential to support regulatory enforcement in the coffee industry.