Search Results (106)

Knowledge of the genetic diversity and resistance genes of Coffea canephora genotypes is essential to identify genetic resources that are better adapted to current climate conditions. This study aimed to molecularly characterize and evaluate the genetic diversity of coffee plants cultivated in Rondônia (Amazonia), Brazil, using SNP molecular markers, and to identify plants carrying resistance genes to two major coffee diseases: rust (Hemileia vastatrix) and coffee berry disease (CBD; Colletotrichum kahawae). Genetic diversity analysis revealed five main groups: Group II included 33 genotypes, primarily of the Robusta botanical variety; Group III contained 18 genotypes of the Conilon variety; Group V, the largest, comprised 85 genotypes, mostly hybrids between Robusta and Conilon. Groups I and IV showed fewer, more divergent genotypes. Molecular markers linked to resistance genes enabled the identification of clones with pyramided resistance alleles for both diseases. Three genotypes exhibited a complete pyramided configuration, while others showed different combinations of resistance loci. Marker patterns also allowed classification of genotypes based on origin, variety, and genealogy. These findings provide a valuable foundation for guiding crosses in breeding programs aiming to develop disease-resistant and climate-resilient clones and hybrids, while also supporting cultivar and clone traceability. Full article

With the development of various new types of instrumental aroma sensing technologies, there is a need for methodologies that help developers and users evaluate the performance of the different devices. This study introduces a simple method that uses standard coffee beverages, reproducible worldwide, thus allowing users to compare aroma sensing devices and technologies globally. Eight different variations of commercial coffee capsules were used to brew espresso coffees (40 mL), consisting of either Arabica coffee or a blend of Robusta and Arabica coffee, covering a wide range of sensory attributes. The AlphaMOS Astree electronic tongue (equipped with sensors based on chemically modified field-effect transistor technology) and the AlphaMOS Heracles NEO and the Volatile Scout3 electronic noses (both using separation technology based on gas chromatography) were used to describe the taste and odor profiles of the freshly brewed coffee samples and also to compare them to the various sensory characteristics declared on the original packaging, such as intensity, roasting, acidity, bitterness, and body. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) results showed that these technologies were able to classify the samples similarly to the pattern of the coffees based on the human sensory characteristics. In general, the arrangement of the different coffee types in the LDA results—i.e., the similarities and dissimilarities in the types based on their taste or smell—was the same in the case of the Astree electronic tongue and the Heracles electronic nose, while slightly different arrangements were found for the Scout3 electronic nose. The results of the Astree electronic tongue and those of the Heracles electronic nose showed the taste and smell profiles of the decaffeinated coffees to be different from their caffeinated counterparts. The Heracles and Scout3 electronic noses provided high accuracies in classifying the samples based on their odor into the sensory classes presented on the coffee capsules’ packaging. Despite the technological differences in the investigated devices, the introduced coffee test could assess the similarities in the taste and odor profiling capacities of the aroma fingerprinting technologies. Since the coffee capsules used for the test can be purchased all over the world in the same quality, these coffees can be used as global standard samples during the comparison of different devices applying different measurement technologies. The test can be used to evaluate instrumentational and data analytical developments worldwide and to assess the potential of novel, cost-effective, accurate, and rapid solutions for quality assessments in the food and beverage industry. Full article

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are powerful techniques that have been employed to analyze foodstuffs comprehensively. These techniques offer in-depth information about the chemical composition, structure, and spatial distribution of components in a variety of food products. Quantitative NMR is widely applied for precise quantification of metabolites, authentication of food products, and monitoring of food quality. Low-field ¹H-NMR relaxometry is an important technique for investigating the most abundant components of intact foodstuffs based on relaxation times and amplitude of the NMR signals. In particular, information on water compartments, diffusion, and movement can be obtained by detecting proton signals because of H₂O in foodstuffs. Saffron adulterations with calendula, safflower, turmeric, sandalwood, and tartrazine have been analyzed using benchtop NMR, an alternative to the high-field NMR approach. The fraudulent addition of Robusta to Arabica coffee was investigated by ¹H-NMR Spectroscopy and the marker of Robusta coffee can be detected in the ¹H-NMR spectrum. MRI images can be a reliable tool for appreciating morphological differences in vegetables and fruits. In kiwifruit, the effects of water loss and the states of water were investigated using MRI. It provides informative images regarding the spin density distribution of water molecules and the relationship between water and cellular tissues. ¹H-NMR spectra of aqueous extract of kiwifruits affected by elephantiasis show a higher number of small oligosaccharides than healthy fruits do. One of the frauds that has been detected in the olive oil sector reflects the addition of hazelnut oils to olive oils. However, using the NMR methodology, it is possible to distinguish the two types of oils, since, in hazelnut oils, linolenic fatty chains and squalene are absent, which is also indicated by the ¹H-NMR spectrum. NMR has been applied to detect milk adulterations, such as bovine milk being spiked with known levels of whey, urea, synthetic urine, and synthetic milk. In particular, T2 relaxation time has been found to be significantly affected by adulteration as it increases with adulterant percentage. The ¹H spectrum of honey samples from two botanical species shows the presence of signals due to the specific markers of two botanical species. NMR generates large datasets due to the complexity of food matrices and, to deal with this, chemometrics (multivariate analysis) can be applied to monitor the changes in the constituents of foodstuffs, assess the self-life, and determine the effects of storage conditions. Multivariate analysis could help in managing and interpreting complex NMR data by reducing dimensionality and identifying patterns. NMR spectroscopy followed by multivariate analysis can be channelized for evaluating the nutritional profile of food products by quantifying vitamins, sugars, fatty acids, amino acids, and other nutrients. In this review, we summarize the importance of NMR spectroscopy in chemical profiling and quality assessment of food products employing magnetic resonance technologies and multivariate statistical analysis. Full article

To enhance the low-efficiency but potentially health and environmentally friendly aqueous decaffeination process, ultrasound-assisted aqueous extraction (UAAE) has recently been proposed. A novel concept of intermittent extraction water change to further enhance UAAE has also been mentioned, but not yet studied in detail. For this reason, a mathematical model that can be used to predict the concentration evolutions of caffeine during UAAE and conventional aqueous extraction (CAE) of whole green robusta coffee beans is herein proposed. The model consists of terms representing transient intra-bean caffeine and water diffusion as well as molar fluxes of caffeine and water on the bean surface. After validation, the model was used to investigate the effects of extraction temperature, bean-to-water mass ratio and frequency of extraction water change on caffeine concentration evolutions. Simulation results show that UAAE exhibits around 10% higher caffeine removal rates than CAE at all investigated conditions. Extraction temperature of 70 °C, bean-to-water ratio of 1:3, and extraction water change at every 1 h interval are noted as the most appropriate conditions for UAAE. The required extraction durations of UAAE under these conditions are 13 h and 24 h to meet the US and European Union standards, respectively. Full article

Coffee belongs among the most widespread beverages worldwide, and its increasing consumption leads to the generation of a large amount of by-products, mainly spent coffee grounds (SCGs). SCGs can be further recycled as they contain bioactive compounds. This research aims to search for the extraction conditions that lead to the highest recovery of these compounds through a green extraction technique, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE). The parameters studied were solvent composition, temperature, and extraction time, while the pressure was kept constant at 1700 psi. The optimum conditions were 48% v/v ethanol solution at 160 °C for 25 min. Under these conditions, the maximum recoveries were total polyphenol content of 15.99 mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight (dw), a total caffeine content of 1.15 mg/g dw, and an antioxidant capacity determined through the ferric-reducing antioxidant power of 101.87 μmol ascorbic acid equivalents/g dw. Additionally, individual polyphenols in SCGs were studied by high-performance liquid chromatography, revealing that the extracts were rich in chlorogenic acid, (−)-epicatechin, and rutin. The results of this work can set the basis for the further utilization of SCGs through PLE by the beverage, food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Full article

This study aimed to investigate: (1) the bioactive profile of seeds, husks, and leaves of selected conilon coffee genotypes (n = 42) from three consecutive crops for the selection of plants to meet health interests, (2) the variability in the content of these bioactive compounds over the crops, and (3) possible correlations among the contents of the evaluated compounds in the different parts of the plant. Selected conilon plants were reproduced by clonal propagation. Bioactive compounds were analyzed using HPLC-DAD. Eight chlorogenic acids (CGA), caffeine, trigonelline, and minor phenolic compounds were quantified (dry basis) in all extracts. CGA contents in seeds, husks, and leaves ranged between 3.71 and 9.71 g/100 g, 0.43 and 1.65 g/100 g, and 0.80 and 2.22 g/100 g, respectively. Caffeine contents ranged between 1.21 and 2.63 g/100 g, 0.13 and 0.84 g/100 g, and 0.33 and 2.01 g/100 g in seeds, husks, and leaves, respectively. Trigonelline contents ranged between 0.83 and 1.12 g/100 g, 0.59 and 1.24 g/100 g, and 0.74 and 1.84 g/100 g, respectively. Variation among the three crops was observed to be higher for CGA. A discrete correlation between CGA and caffeine was observed in the seeds (r: 0.72, p = 0.003). Some of the genotypes showed consistently higher contents of these bioactive compounds than others (not only in the seeds but also in the husks and leaves), being good candidates for cultivar registration to meet various market demands in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Studies that evaluate the potential use of new genotypes and byproducts are important for diversification and maximum use of coffee plants, promoting sustainability and financial return to the farmers and the producing country. Full article

Aspergillus carbonarius is the main producer of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in coffee. In the last few years, there has been an increasing interest in using yeast isolates as Biocontrol Agents to prevent OTA production in coffee cherries during the primary postharvest processing. Little is known about how climate change abiotic conditions of increased temperature (+2–4 °C), elevated CO₂ (existing levels of 400 vs. 1000 ppm), and increased drought stress will impact biocontrol resilience. This study examined the effect of a three-way interaction between temperature (27, 30, and 33 °C) x water activity (a_w) (0.90 and 0.95 a_w) x CO₂ level (400 vs. 1000 ppm) on the growth and OTA production of A. carbonarius and the resilience of three yeast strains’ biocontrol capacity on fresh coffee cherries. High a_w (0.95), CO₂, and temperature levels increased the production of OTA by A. carbonarius. All the yeast biocontrol strains significantly reduced A. carbonarius growth by at least 20% and OTA production by up to 85%. From the three strains used, the Meyerozyma caribbica strain (Y4) showed the best resilience to climate change, since it reduced both growth (50%) and OTA production (70%) under future scenarios of CO₂ and a_w at all temperatures tested, and should be the one selected for pilot scale experiments in Ivory Coast. Full article

This article addresses the financial viability of agents in the robusta coffee sector. The objective is to calculate and analyze the profitability performance of the coffee sector in Tshopo in order to inform the subsequent development of business projects in the robusta coffee sector. Moreover, the analysis will assist decision-makers and investors in determining the optimal allocation of funds to the most profitable links in the robusta coffee sector in Tshopo. A cost-benefit analysis was conducted, employing a discounting methodology to evaluate the cash flows of agents engaged in the robusta coffee sector. This entailed the calculation of the net present value, internal rate of return, and payback period. The results demonstrate that the coffee sector is performing well, with agents’ cash flow sufficient to repay the initial investment. It can thus be concluded that, in consideration of the favorable profitability criteria, there is minimal risk in investing in the robusta coffee sector in Tshopo. Full article

Liberica coffee (Coffea liberica) thrives on peat soil, unlike Arabica and Robusta, making it an essential commodity in Jambi, Indonesia, where it is known as Liberika Tungkal Komposit (Libtukom) and serves as a primary livelihood. This low-caffeine coffee has a higher economic value than high-caffeine varieties. Adding spices such as temulawak (Curcuma zanthorrhiza) to Liberica coffee can create a unique, functional beverage with new aromas and health benefits, thanks to the curcuminoid antioxidants in Curcuma zanthorrhiza (C. zanthorrhiza). This research aims to develop a spice-infused Liberica coffee with enhanced sensory qualities and health benefits. Methods include spice coffee formulation; sensory evaluation; phytochemical screening; and analysis of phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidants, caffeine, and chlorogenic acid levels. Statistical analysis (ANOVA and Duncan’s post hoc test) reveals that C. zanthorrhiza-enhanced Liberica coffee is preferred by panelists, with spice coffee outperforming plain Liberica in sensory tests. This study showed that Liberica coffee mixed with C. zanthorrhiza affected the sensory performance of Liberica coffee, where the coffee most favored by panelists was spice coffee. Based on the cupping test results, spice coffee had excellent results, while Liberica coffee had very good results. The phytochemical analysis revealed that coffee–C. zanthorrhiza exhibited higher concentrations of total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity than the original Liberica coffee. However, the caffeine and chlorogenic acid levels in all spiced coffee were lower compared to the original Liberica coffee. Full article

The study investigated the effects of storage temperature, type of coffee, and brewing method on coffee’s volatile compound profile and sensory quality. Three types of coffee were included in the study: Arabica, Robusta, and their 80/20 blend. Samples were stored at 5 °C and 20 °C for one month, after which the changes in the composition of volatile compounds were analysed and the sensory quality of espresso and cold brew coffee was assessed. The results showed that storing coffee at a lower temperature slows the changes in the profile of volatile compounds such as aldehydes, alcohols, pyrazines, and furans, helping preserve the desired aroma and flavour characteristics. Storage at higher temperatures resulted in greater changes in the volatile profile and sensory quality, with higher perceptions of earthy, sharp, and smoky notes and lower chocolatey and sweet notes. The brewing method also had a significant effect on the sensory quality. The espresso coffee had a higher intensity of coffee aroma, chocolate flavour, smoky aroma, and roasted notes. In contrast, cold brew coffee was perceived as sweeter, fruitier, and had more pronounced rum notes. The coffee type also significantly influenced the aroma and flavour profile. Arabica had a more harmonious and mild aromatic profile, while Robusta had a sharper aroma. The blend of Arabica and Robusta combined the characteristics of both coffees and offered a balanced aromatic profile. Full article

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world due to its sensory and health benefits. The caffeine content, a bioactive compound of coffee, depends on many factors, including the brewing method, which is the subject of ongoing scientific research. In addition, various methods are used in studies to determine the caffeine content. However, it is worth noting that there is considerable variation in the individual analytical parameters within these methods. The aim of this study was to update the data on the effects of different brewing methods on the caffeine content of the brew and to present the current state of knowledge on techniques for the determination of this compound. A literature review was conducted, taking into account the latest studies in this field. The results showed that the caffeine content (mg/100 mL) of the brew prepared with the Cold Brew method was 48.50–179.95, Espresso—50.40–965.60, French Press—52.00–123.90, AeroPress—56.35–120.92, and Moka—128.00–539.90. These methods were characterized by different brewing parameters (time, water temperature and pressure, ratio of coffee to water), which differentiated the caffeine content. In addition, some methods were characterized by a wide range of caffeine content, suggesting that even minor variations in brewing method parameters may affect the content of this ingredient. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was the predominant method used. The detector wavelengths, along with other parameters of the HPLC method, such as gradient profiles and column temperatures, can affect the precision and accuracy of the analysis, and these differences can modify analyte retention and detection, leading to discrepancies in results. These results point to the need for studies that consider various brewing methods and a wide range of coffee types, including roast and origin, to accurately determine the effects of these factors on caffeine content determined by one precise method. Full article

Heterologous double-root grafting represents an effective strategy to mitigate challenges associated with continuous coffee cropping and reduce soil-borne diseases. However, its specific regulatory mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted including six different grafting combinations for C. canephora cv. Robusta (Robusta) and Coffea Liberica (Liberica): Robusta scion with a homologous double root (R/RR), Liberica scion with a homologous double root (L/LL), Robusta scion with a heterologous double root (R/RL and L/RL), and Liberica scion with a heterologous double root (L/LR and R/LR); these combinations were conducted to clarify the effects of heterologous double-root grafting combinations on the root exudates and soil microbial diversity, structure, and function of Robusta and Liberica. The results demonstrated notable differences in root exudates, rhizosphere microbial structure, and function between Robusta and Liberica. Despite Liberica having lower diversity in its rhizosphere microbial communities and relatively higher levels of potential pathogenic bacteria, it showed stronger resistance to diseases. Roots of Robusta in heterologous double-root coffee seedlings significantly enhanced the secretion of resistance compounds, increased the relative abundance of potentially beneficial bacteria, and reduced the relative abundance of potential pathogenic fungi. This enhances the rhizosphere immunity of Robusta against soil-borne diseases. The results indicated that grafting onto Liberica roots can strengthen resistance mechanisms and enhance the rhizosphere immunity of Robusta, thereby mitigating challenges associated with continuous cropping. Full article

Background: Coffee leaves are a major source of bioactive components and are used as ethnomedicine. However, despite their traditional medicinal use, information about their effects on antihyperlipidemia remains limited. Methods: The aims of this study were to evaluate the main components of leaf extracts from Arabica and Robusta coffees and to examine the potential of these coffee leaves in reducing lipid digestion and absorption in vitro. Results: Coffee leaf extracts from Arabica coffee contain a high amount of caffeine, whereas extracts from Robusta coffee contain high amounts of chlorogenic acid (CGA) and caffeine. Additionally, leaf extracts from Arabica and Robusta coffee demonstrated the inhibition of pancreatic lipase, decreased micellar cholesterol solubility, and reduced bile acid binding. Furthermore, these extracts resulted in a reduction in cholesterol uptake in Caco-2 cells. Molecular docking experiments supported this discovery, showing CGA and caffeine binding to Niemann–Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1), a key protein in cholesterol absorption. The results indicated that CGA and caffeine can competitively bind to NPC1L1 at the cholesterol binding pocket, reducing its cholesterol binding rate. These findings suggest that coffee leaves might help suppress lipid absorption and digestion, highlighting their potential use in preventing and treating hyperlipidemia. Full article

Colombia, one of the world’s leading coffee suppliers, is experiencing a decline in its production capacity due to climate change, resulting in fewer suitable areas for growing its mild coffee varieties. The traditional Coffea arabica cultivation regions in the Andes are surrounded by high biodiversity, which cannot and should not be replaced by other agricultural activities. This situation has led to the consideration of cultivating Coffea canephora var. Robusta in Colombia. Identifying areas with the highest productive potential under current and future climate scenarios is necessary. Our objective was to pinpoint regions with the greatest biophysical and socio-economic potential for Robusta coffee cultivation in Colombia. To achieve this, we utilized an integrated model that combines climate suitability assessment and crop yield projections under current and future climate scenarios while accounting for soil limitations, pest risks, and socio-economic conditions. Our results indicated that most potential areas are at elevations below 600 m, thus avoiding interference with traditional and established Arabica coffee regions in Colombia. Under current climate scenarios, potential areas are located in the foothills along the eastern Andean ranges, the high plains of the Orinoquía region, and the humid parts of the Caribbean region. Under a global warming scenario with a 2 °C temperature increase, significant negative impacts on productive potential are projected for the Caribbean region. Consequently, the foothills of the eastern Andes and the high plains of the Orinoquía region emerge as the most promising areas for cultivating Coffea canephora var. Robusta. Full article