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THE IMPACT OF DIVERSE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS ON FATTY ACID CONTENT OF COFFEE GROUNDS**

Abstract

Fatty acids are the building blocks of fat in our bodies and the food we eat. They have very important functions in the body, including energy storage and acting as a fuel to cells when glucose is unavailable. Fatty acids have roles outside of the body, including acting as lubricants, in cooking, and the production of soaps, detergents, and cosmetics. Fatty acids are accurate indicators for coffee quality evaluation. The composition of fatty acids depends on various factors such as varieties and production areas, and comparison of fatty acid patterns is an effective method for classifying coffee. This project attempts to determine how varying production areas affect the fatty acid content of coffee grounds. Two coffees with varying elevations and regions were used: Nicaragua beans from the Jinotega District with an elevation of 980-1,400 meters and Ethiopia beans from Yirgacheffe District with an elevation of 1,700-2,200 meters. Lipid extraction occurred via reflux, gravity filtration, and rotary evaporation. A transesterification was performed on the resulting fatty acids using NaOH in ethanol. Fatty acid content was quantified and analyzed to determine differences using mass and IR.

Acknowledgements

Piedmont Natural Science Department Honors

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