Dynamic tensiometric characterization of espresso coffee beverage

Espresso coffee world-wide success, besides being a phenomenon of fashion, seems to be based on the greater sensory satisfaction it gives to the consumer when compared with coffees prepared with other brewing methods. Conditions normally used in the espresso brewing technique enhance several surface tension-related phenomena such as foam and emulsion formation and stabilisation which strongly affects the organoleptic beverage properties. In spite of the relevant role played by surface tension in several quality characteristics of espresso coffee, little attention has been paid in its determination and its time-dependency has not yet been investigated. In the present work, experimental techniques such as maximum bubble pressure and pendant drop have been used to characterise in a wide time window the dynamic surface tension of air-espresso coffee beverage interface at two different temperatures. The experimental data show a remarkable decrease of the surface tension with time for beverages prepared by using pure arabica as well as pure robusta roasted coffee, with a profile dependent upon the coffee variety. This behaviour is definitely related to the presence of surface active components and is consistent with a system having good wetting properties for oral cavity surfaces. A possible role of some natural surface active chemical components, like lipids, on tensiometric behaviour is discussed.