Exploring the Commercial Viability of Coffee Pulp Infusion as a Functional Beverage: A Physicochemical and Sensory Evaluation

The food industry’s interest in functional beverages is on the rise, driven by their potential health benefits. In this context, coffee pulp, the main by-product of coffee processing, has emerged as a sustainable source for functional infusions. This work aimed to evaluate the physicochemical and sensory properties of three antioxidant and anti-inflammatory coffee pulp infusions (CPI) to assess their potential commercialization. CPI (250 mL) was prepared with a solid–liquid ratio of 0.08 g/mL for 6 min (CPI-A) and 9 min (CPI-B) as the infusion times and with 0.05 g/mL at 9 min (CPI-C). Physicochemical parameters such as pH, titratable acidity, turbidity, density, refractive index, soluble solids, and color (CIELAB) were measured. Additionally, sensory analysis, including preference, satisfaction, and purchase intention tests were carried out. No significant differences were found among the pH (3.8), density (0.99 g/L), and refractive index (1.34) of the infusions. In contrast, differences were detected in titratable acidity (0.19–0.29 g citric acid/100 mL infusion), turbidity (0.64–1.07), and soluble solids (3.1–3.9 ºBrix), distinguishing CPI-A, which had the lowest values, and CPI-B, which had the highest. The chromatic model exhibited that, in all the infusions, the a* results moved toward red and b* toward yellow, reflecting their brown coloration. Regarding the L* and C* parameters, CPI-A showed the highest values, followed by CPI-C. For the preference test, 40% of consumers chose CPI-A. However, on a satisfaction scale from 1 (strongly dislike) to 9 (strongly like), the rate for color, brightness, and aroma was 6 (like) for all the infusions, while the overall satisfaction and bitterness rate was 5 (neither like nor dislike). The purchase intention results showed that consumers probably would not buy any CPI. Therefore, improving its organoleptic properties by adding aromas and ingredients without modifying its functional properties would be necessary to commercialize it.