The feasibility of identifying the cultivation region of coffee beans by comparing trace elements in coffee beans imported from Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama into Japan was studied. The import volumes from these regions were large, i.e., approximately 60% of the coffee beans imported into Japan.
The rate of correctly identifying the cultivation region among six Central American countries was 50%. These six countries were divided into Central America I comprising Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua and Central America II comprising Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras based on the figure showing identification scores. The results showed that the rate of correctly identifying the cultivation regions between Central America I and II was 95%. Moreover, the rate of correctly identifying the cultivation regions between Brazil and Colombia was 100% and of correctly identifying the cultivation regions between four regions, aforementioned Central America I, II, Brazil, and Colombia, was 68%.
