大象的肠道，竟是世界上最贵的“咖啡机”？科学家找到制作“象屎咖啡”的秘诀

Core Insights - Black Ivory Coffee, produced exclusively in Thailand, is the world's most expensive coffee, surpassing the well-known Kopi Luwak, with a price of $2,000 per kilogram and $50 per cup [1][7]. Production Process - Similar to Kopi Luwak, Black Ivory Coffee involves a unique production process where fresh Arabica coffee cherries are fed to elephants, and the beans are collected from their dung after digestion [7][8]. - The coffee beans undergo cleaning and roasting after being retrieved from the elephant dung [7]. Flavor Profile - Many tasters describe Black Ivory Coffee as exceptionally smooth with low bitterness, attributed to the fermentation process facilitated by the elephants' gut microbiome [8][17]. - Research indicates that the gut microbiome of elephants changes significantly when they consume coffee cherries, particularly increasing the population of Acinetobacter bacteria, which may enhance the fermentation process [10][12]. Microbial Mechanism - The presence of Acinetobacter bacteria in the elephants' gut is believed to create an environment conducive to breaking down pectin, a component of the coffee cherry, which reduces bitterness during roasting [12][15]. - The study found that elephants possess a unique gut microbiome capable of efficiently degrading pectin, unlike other animals such as cows and pigs [17]. Research Limitations - The study on the gut microbiome's effect on coffee flavor has limitations, including a small sample size of only three elephants per group, and further research is needed to validate the findings [20].