Potato Defect
Potato defect is a coffee bean flaw that produces an unpleasant raw potato-like aroma and taste. It is caused by an infection of the coffee cherry by the Fusarium fungus while still on the tree. While this defect does not pose health risks, it significantly impacts flavor quality, making it a major concern in specialty coffee.
In the specialty coffee industry, strict quality control measures are applied from cultivation to processing to minimize the occurrence of potato defect. However, since this defect only becomes detectable after roasting, it remains a challenge for roasters and baristas in maintaining flavor consistency.
Although it cannot be entirely eliminated, methods such as selective harvesting, careful processing, and thorough post-roast sorting help reduce its impact as much as possible in the specialty coffee.
