Provided is a process for producing roasted coffee beans, which are useful as a starting material for a coffee beverage having a suppressed unpleasant taste and have a roast degree within a predetermined level or less. The process for producing roasted coffee beans of the present invention comprises placing starting material roasted coffee beans having an L value of from 21 to 50 in an airtight container and subjecting the roasted coffee beans to a heat treatment at from 100 to 160 C.

A method of processing used coffee grounds is provided. The method includes obtaining the used coffee grounds. The method also includes de-fatting the used coffee grounds. The method further includes flavoring the used coffee grounds. The method also includes texturizing the used coffee grounds. The method further includes aging the used coffee grounds. The method also includes grinding the used coffee grounds.

The invention relates inter alia to the field of the production of foods and stimulants, more particularly coffee products and coffee substitute products having a reduced acrylamide content. The invention provides a method for removing acrylamide from various food matrices, more particularly from a coffee or coffee substitute product matrix, by using a biocatalyst to degrade acrylamide.

The present invention provides a feature which suppresses the formation of indoles and scatoles, which are known to be an unpleasant odor component in roasted coffee beans, without heat-treating raw coffee beans to a high temperature of 100 C. or higher. More specifically, the present invention moistens raw coffee beans with water and subjects the same to a heat treatment at a temperature less than 100 C. at atmospheric pressure, causes the heat-treated raw coffee beans to absorb an organic acid and/or a saccharide, and thereafter, roasts the coffee beans.