Assessment of Healthy and Harmful Maillard Reaction Products in a Novel Coffee Cascara Beverage: Melanoidins and Acrylamide.

Amaia Iriondo-Dehond,Romina Mufari,Maria Belén Ríos,Jose A Mendiola,Maria Dolores Del Castillo,Elena Ibañez,Maite Iriondo-Dehond,Ana Sofía Elizondo

doi:10.3390/foods9050620

Abstract

Our research aimed to evaluate the formation of Maillard reaction products in sun-dried coffee cascara and their impact on the safety and health promoting properties of a novel beverage called “Instant Cascara” (IC) derived from this coffee by-product. Maillard reaction products in sun-dried coffee cascara have never been reported. “Instant Cascara” (IC) extract was obtained by aqueous extraction and freeze-drying. Proteins, amino acids, lipids, fatty acid profile, sugars, fiber, minerals, and vitamins were analyzed for its nutritional characterization. Acrylamide and caffeine were used as chemical indicators of safety. Colored compounds, also called melanoidins, their stability under 40 °C and in light, and their in vitro antioxidant capacity were also studied. A safe instant beverage with antioxidant properties was obtained to which the following nutritional claims can be assigned: “low fat”, “low sugar” “high fiber” and “source of potassium, magnesium and vitamin C”. For the first time, cascara beverage color was attributed to the presence of antioxidant melanoidins (>10 kDa). IC is a potential sustainable alternative for instant coffee, with low caffeine and acrylamide levels and a healthy composition of nutrients and antioxidants.

Highlights

Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) are the result of a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars when foods are being processed at high temperatures [1]
Protein content found in CA was 9.55%, which is in accordance to that previously described [10,35,36,37,38]
Cascara beverage color was attributed to the presence of melanoidins

Summary

Introduction

Maillard Reaction Products (MRPs) are the result of a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars when foods are being processed at high temperatures [1]. This reaction enhances flavor and color, and MRP have been associated with both positive and negative health effects [2]. Different health-promoting properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive activity have been assessed in these molecules [5]. Besides melanoidins, another MRP found in coffee beverages is acrylamide

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