Students of the Nutrition and Dietetics Department Develop an Alternative to Arabic Coffee from Date Seeds with the Addition of Ginger
A number of fourth-year students (Burhan Khalil , Zilan Abdulqadir, Heardy Tofeq and Solin Serwan) in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Cihan University – Erbil have developed a healthy caffeine-free coffee from date seeds and added a varying percentages of ginger, under the supervision of the head of the department (Dr. Salih Mustafa Salih Zebari).
Initially, natural (Arabica) coffee was obtained from roasting green coffee beans at different temperatures and at a specific time. Then the coffee beans were ground and sifted to obtain a fine powder. After this step, the date seeds were roasted at a high temperature according at a specific time. In the same way, the date seeds were ground and sifted to obtain a fine powder. Then, three types of healthy alternative coffee were prepared from date seeds, to which ginger was added in three different proportions.
Then the sensory evaluation was carried out in three stages using different sensory techniques with non-trained panellist (students and academic staff of Cihan University) in the laboratories of the Food and Nutrition Unit of the Department, based on the British standards approved for sensory evaluation. The first purpose was to know the preferred type in terms of taste, smell, bitterness, and the overall appearance between the three types of natural coffee, and the second purpose was for knowing the degree of closeness between the alternative coffee prepared from date seeds and regular coffee, and third, for the purpose of choosing the best and most acceptable coffee after adding the ginger by the panellists.
The results of these sensory tests and the results of other chemical tests of this project will be published soon after their statistical analysis.
It is worth mentioning that the alternative coffee prepared from the seeds of dates free of caffeine according to the sources. After adding ginger which has many health benefits, , it may be beneficial for arthritis because it contains ginger, as well as useful for kidney stones, it is useful for reducing blood sugar, and it is a good source of fiber that improves the digestive system, especially the colon. The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, represented by its distinguished academic staff and students, is always working to develop the reality of the concept of healthy nutrition in our society, and develops and improves the important and beneficial food for human health.
