Not-profit Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) has partnered with sensory trainer FlavorActiV to enhance its training and calibration programs.
“Working with topic experts like FlavorActiV allows CQI to refine education and training tools for our community,” says Tina Yerkes, PhD, CEO of CQI.
“We are always looking for new processes and methods to enhance our educational experience, and this is an excellent example of a product that complements our sensory training and calibration system.”
FlavorActiV’s sensory solutions will be used to enhance and maintain CQI participants’ coffee sensory abilities. The company produces encapsulated flavour references to Pharmaceutical Quality GMP Standards which, according to FlavorActiV, can then be used in almost any liquid to impart aroma, taste, and mouthfeel of a specific defect or attribute.
FlavorActiV’s coffee sensory tools have been used across the supply chain, from coffee varieties to production stages.
“One of the long-term values I see benefitting coffee evaluation, in general, is to differentiate a ‘defect’ from an ‘off’ flavour and calibrate to their respective flavour profiles,” says Todd Arnette, Manager of CQI’s quality evaluation program.
“Another opportunity is to use these tools to quantify the global language of coffee quality. The capsules form a globally consistent foundation for flavours that we can then further explore in greater detail in a regional and cultural context.”
CQI says this partnership supports its mission to improve coffee quality and the lives of its producers, with calibration training seen as the next logical step for tasting panels or coffee professionals who wish to enhance and maintain their tasting performance.
Currently, FlavorActiV supports more than 70,000 tasters across the globe through regular training, tasting software, and encapsulated flavour standards.
FlavorActiV says CQI is the biggest coffee presence enrolled in the program with the partnership set to expand its network further, diversifying the profile of tasters.
“It has been hugely enjoyable to collaborate with the CQI team on this strategic partnership, and we are delighted to finally make this announcement together. We look forward to helping the CQI family by delivering the tools to improve their sensory abilities through training and calibration,” says Marie Pohler, Commercial Director of FlavorActiV.
“We’ve seen the impact our sensory solutions can have on the coffee sector and are pleased that the CQI community can experience this first-hand. We hope to support CQI for many years to come and believe this will be a big step forward for both organisations.”
Further details on the partnership and any planned activities will be shared with the CQI community. A joint Q&A webinar session delivered by CQI and FlavorActiV representatives will be announced in due course.
For more information, visit www.coffeeinstitute.org, or www.flavoractiv.com.
