ABTS radical scavenging capacity in green and roasted coffee extracts

- Low roasting temperature results in higher remaining ABTS radical scavenging capacity in coffee.
- Phenolic ABTS radical scavengers emerge from 6 native compounds during roasting.
- Newly formed ABTS radical scavengers do not compensate the loss of native antioxidant capacity.

The impact of two parameters (temperature and duration) on the radical scavenging capacity of individual compounds, and total extracts found in coffee was investigated. Phenolic coffee extracts of light (200 °C), medium (225 °C) and dark (235 °C) roasted coffees in a range of 0-30 min were analyzed by an on-line RP-HLPC-ABTS
- + decolourization assay. This study revealed a general decrease of radical scavenging capacity related to native phenolic compounds. Processing coffee beans leads to generation of up to 10 new radical scavengers. The roasting process influences not only color and taste in coffees, but also the radical scavenging capacity of coffee as well. Phenolic content in roasted coffee and green coffee is very different. Six compounds identified as caffeoylquinic acids and dicaffeoylquinic acids, endowed with radical scavenging capacity were found in green coffee, whereas depending on the roasting process, roasted coffees can present up to 16 different radical scavengers. The compounds formed during the roast are most likely chlorogenic acids derivatives, of which 4 could be clearly identified as two feruloylquinic acids and two caffeoylquinides. In longer roasting durations, these molecules are subjected to auto-degradation, thus total radical scavenging capacity in coffee decline along with roasting (duration and temperature).