Chapter 21 - Chlorogenic Acids from Coffee

Abstract

In this chapter, we describe the contents of chlorogenic acids (CGAs) of various species of green and roasted coffee beans. CGAs are a family of esters that are structural analogs of quinic acid with various cinnamate derivatives. A total of 82 CGAs have been detected in green coffee beans. The contents of CGAs of Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora, two of the major cultivated species, are in the range of 3.40–7.24% and 5.17–14.4% w/w dry matter, respectively, although those of some Coffea species, such as Coffea pseudozanguebariae and Coffea rhamnifolia, are <1%. The contents may decrease with roasting of green coffee beans, and the extent of this decrease depends on the degree of roasting. Reportedly, the average contents of total CGAs, caffeoylquinic acids, feruloylquinic acids, and dicaffeoylquinic acids in 12 commercial roasted coffee beans are 2.66%, 2.26%, 0.21%, and 0.19% w/w dry matter, respectively. The contents of CGAs in commercial instant coffee are in the range of 3.61–10.73% w/w dry matter (instant coffee powder).