Coffee Species Research Articles

NMR quantification of 16-O-methylcafestol and kahweol in Coffea canephora var. robusta beans from different geographical origins

Diterpenes have recently received a great deal of interest as tools to investigate the botanical origin of coffee. Specifically, kahweol has been proposed as a marker of Coffea arabica while 16-O-methylcafestol (16-OMC) is a Coffea canephora specific marker and its detection and quantification allow the authenticity of pure C. arabica roasted coffee blends to be assessed. In this study, we evaluated the possibility of the industrial use of the quantification of these diterpenes to assess the relative amounts of the two coffee species in blends. The content of 16-OMC and kahweol was determined in 78 samples (i.e., 39 green and the corresponding 39 roasted beans) of C. canephora from different geographical origins using a recently published NMR approach. Our results show a small natural variability in 16-OMC content for the Asian samples (average content = 1837 ± 113 mg/kg) while a much larger spread was found for the African samples (average content = 1744 ± 322 mg/kg). This large variability prevents the use of 16-OMC to quantify C. canephora in unknown roasted coffee blends. We also show that kahweol cannot be considered a specific C. arabica marker since it was detected almost all coffees beans and quantified in about 30% of the C. canephora samples.

Identification by the DArTseq method of the genetic origin of the Coffea canephora cultivated in Vietnam and Mexico.

BackgroundThe coffee species Coffea canephora is commercially identified as “Conilon” when produced in Brazil, or “Robusta” when produced elsewhere in the world. It represents approximately 40 % of coffee production worldwide. While the genetic diversity of wild C. canephora has been well studied in the past, only few studies have addressed the genetic diversity of currently cultivated varieties around the globe. Vietnam is the largest Robusta producer in the world, while Mexico is the only Latin American country, besides Brazil, that has a significant Robusta production. Knowledge of the genetic origin of Robusta cultivated varieties in countries as important as Vietnam and Mexico is therefore of high interest.ResultsThrough the use of Sequencing-based diversity array technology-DArTseq method-on a collection of C. canephora composed of known accessions and accessions cultivated in Vietnam and Mexico, 4,021 polymorphic SNPs were identified. We used a multivariate analysis using SNP data from reference accessions in order to confirm and further fine-tune the genetic diversity of C. canephora. Also, by interpolating the data obtained for the varieties from Vietnam and Mexico, we determined that they are closely related to each other, and identified that their genetic origin is the Robusta Congo – Uganda group.ConclusionsThe genetic characterization based on SNP markers of the varieties grown throughout the world, increased our knowledge on the genetic diversity of C. canephora, and contributed to the understanding of the genetic background of varieties from very important coffee producers. Given the common genetic origin of the Robusta varieties cultivated in Vietnam, Mexico and Uganda, and the similar characteristics of climatic areas and relatively high altitude where they are grown, we can state that the Vietnamese and the Mexican Robusta have the same genetic potential to produce good cup quality.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12870-016-0933-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Estimation of stem and leaf dry biomass using a non-destructive method applied to African Coffea species

The coffee tree is an important economic plant for several developing countries. Stem and leaf dry biomass, which are key traits of plant production, are used in functional-structural plant models to simulate plant growth and predict yield. These values are difficult to obtain since they classically rely on time-consuming protocols and require destructive measurements. Measuring stem and leaf dimensions (length and width) to estimate them provides a non-destructive and rapid approach for use in the field. In this study we sought the best allometric relationships existing between stem and leaf dimensions and their corresponding dry mass in order to avoid destructive measurements which are also time-consuming. This was investigated in three coffee species: Coffea canephora, Coffea liberica var. liberica and Coffea liberica var. dewevrei in Ivory Coast. For each species, the internodes and leaves of three axis categories (stem, branch and branchlet) comprising the main compartments were sampled. Two different equations were found to estimate the stem and leaf dry mass whatever the species and the axis categories: (1) a linear equation for the relation between the stem volume (V) and its corresponding dry mass (IWe), IWe = 0.70 × V and (2) a power law for the relation between the leaf area [as the product of length (LL) and width (Wi)] and its dry mass (LWe), LWe = 0.007 (LL × LWi)1.02. Finally, stem and leaf dry mass could be easily obtained without destructive measurements. This method could be applied to estimate the plant total leaf area and the total stem and leaf biomass of a plant in an agroforestry system.

Whole-canopy gas exchanges in Coffea sp. is affected by supra-optimal temperature and light distribution within the canopy: The insights from an improved multi-chamber system

Whole-canopy gas exchange provides a more accurate measurement of CO2 assimilation (Ac) and transpiration (Ec) compared to single-leaf. The objectives of this study were to evaluate whole-canopy gas exchange of 2 coffee species: Coffea arabica cv. Catuaí Amarelo-Catuaí and Coffea canephora cv. Emcapa 8111 Clone 02–Clone 02 during two different seasons varying in temperature. Six plants >1-year-old of each species were grown in pots (100L) in a greenhouse. Soil moisture was maintained at field capacity. Data were continuously collected for 10days during spring (September 2014—moderate temperatures) and summer (February 2015 with high temperature) and micrometeorological variables were monitored inside the greenhouse. Catuaí had a lower area leaf and higher branch angle resulting in greater light distribution within the canopy that contributed to higher net photosynthesis and transpiration as compared to Clone 02 in both seasons. Catuaí had reduced whole-canopy CO2 assimilation and transpiration during summer, mainly linked to reduced whole-canopy conductance. However, Clone 02 had similar whole-canopy CO2 assimilation and transpiration values in both seasons. Despite reduced gas exchange for Catuaí during summer, the relationship between Ac and Ec indicated that Catuaí had a greater instantaneous WUEc than Clone 02 during spring and there were no differences between species during summer. The dense canopy architecture of Clone 02 limited whole-canopy gas exchange due to poor light distribution within the canopy whereas Catuaí had better canopy light distribution resulting in higher photosynthetic rates than Clone 02 during spring. Additionally, the architecture had a negative effect when Catuaí experiences increased temperature that reduced whole-canopy conductance. High temperatures may limit the growth and production of coffee plants in tropical areas.

Extraction of espresso coffee by using gradient of temperature. Effect on physicochemical and sensorial characteristics of espresso

Espresso extraction is generally carried out at a fixed temperature within the range 85–95°C. In this work the extraction of the espressos was made in a new generation coffee machine that enables temperature profiling of the brewing water. The effect of using gradient of temperature to brew espressos on physicochemical and sensorial characteristics of the beverage has been investigated. Three different extraction temperature profiles were tested: updrawn gradient (88–93°C), downdrawn gradient (93–88°C) and fixed temperature (90°C). The coffee species investigated were Robusta, Arabica natural and Washed Arabica. Results proved that the use of gradient temperature for brewing espressos allows increasing or decreasing the extraction of some chemical compounds from coffee grounds. Moreover an appropriate gradient of temperature can highlight or hide some sensorial attributes. In conclusion, the possibility of programming gradient of temperature in the coffee machines recently introduced in the market opens new expectations in the field of espresso brewing.

Glucosylated forms of serotonin and tryptophan in green coffee beans

Green beans of Robusta and Arabica coffee species were examined by HPLC-ESI-MS2 analysis for the content of glycosylated forms of serotonin and its N-methylated derivatives. The results showed for the first time the occurrence of serotonin 5-O-β-glucoside and tryptophan-N1-glucoside in coffee beans. Both substances were identified by their product ion spectra and by comparison with synthesized authentic standards. Interestingly, serotonin 5-O-β-glucoside occurs at similar levels in beans of all varieties of Robusta and Arabica coffee species, whereas tryptophan-N1-glucoside is present at high levels in beans of Robusta and at much lower levels in those of Arabica species. This striking difference in the content of tryptophan-N1-glucoside could afford a new tool to discriminate between beans of Arabica and Robusta coffee species.

Characterization and utilization of microsatellites in the Coffea canephora genome to assess genetic association between wild species in Kenya and cultivated coffee

Coffee is an important beverage crop in the world and has a significant contribution to Kenya’s economy. Here, we analyzed the genome-wide distribution of microsatellites in the Coffea canephora genome. A total of 159,041 SSRs were identified, with an overall density of 308 SSRs per Mb. Tetra-nucleotide repeats are the most abundant, accounting for 32 % of the total SSRs. AT-rich motifs are dominant across all SSR repeat units, while GC-rich motifs were generally rare. A set of 100 SSRs was selected to amplify 96 coffee accessions, including 10 wild accessions collected from Mt. Marsabit (Kenya). Of these SSRs, 33 % generated clear polymorphic bands among all tested accessions, with an average of 3.9 alleles per SSR locus. Wild coffee species from Mt. Marsabit showed a close genetic similarity with cultivated accessions in Kenya, suggesting that the wild species in Mt. Marsabit played an important role in the domestication of cultivated coffee in Kenya. Significantly low pairwise genetic divergence was observed between cultivated and wild accessions in Kenya, suggesting a relatively narrow level of genetic basis among coffee germplasm in Kenya. In addition, cultivated and wild coffee accessions in Kenya show a great divergence from those in other countries. Our results not only provide molecular tools for genetic studies in coffee but are also helpful for conservation and coffee breeding programs in Kenya.

Unsaponifiable matter from oil of green coffee beans: cosmetic properties and safety evaluation

Context: Unsaponifiable matter (UM), a fraction of green coffee oil (GCO) contains functional compounds responsible for desirable cosmetic properties such as UV-B absorption.Objectives: To evaluate oil content and sun protection factor (SPF) variability of the two most important species of coffee and, the toxic and cytotoxic effects, as well as cosmetic properties, including antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of UM obtained from green Coffea arabica seed oil.Materials and methods: The safety and potential cosmetic properties of UM extracted from green coffee oil (GCO) were evaluated by the brine shrimp viability and the MTT cytotoxicity assays. The SPF and antioxidant activity were evaluated using in vitro methods.Results: Relevant cytotoxicity was found against keratinocytes for concentrations ≥25 µg/mL and in the brine shrimp assay (LC50 24 µg/mL). Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities (IC50 1448 µg/mL) were low in UM but SPF was 10 times higher than in GCO.Conclusion: UM is a novel potential UV-B absorbent but its use as a cosmetic ingredient should be better considered due to the considerable cytotoxicity shown in the experimental conditions described.

Advances in genomics for the improvement of quality in coffee.

Coffee is an important crop that provides a livelihood to millions of people living in developing countries. Production of genotypes with improved coffee quality attributes is a primary target of coffee genetic improvement programmes. Advances in genomics are providing new tools for analysis of coffee quality at the molecular level. The recent report of a genomic sequence for robusta coffee, Coffea canephora, is a major development. However, a reference genome sequence for the genetically more complex arabica coffee (C. arabica) will also be required to fully define the molecular determinants controlling quality in coffee produced from this high quality coffee species. Genes responsible for control of the levels of the major biochemical components in the coffee bean that are known to be important in determining coffee quality can now be identified by association analysis. However, the narrow genetic base of arabica coffee suggests that genomics analysis of the wild relatives of coffee (Coffea spp.) may be required to find the phenotypic diversity required for effective association genetic analysis. The genomic resources available for the study of coffee quality are described and the potential for the application of next generation sequencing and association genetic analysis to advance coffee quality research are explored. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Quantitation by HPLC-UV of Mangiferin and Isomangiferin in Coffee (Coffea arabica) Leaves from Brazil and Costa Rica After Solvent Extraction and Infusion

Mangiferin has high potential as a cancer chemopreventive agent; but readily available sources are scarce. Therefore, the concentration of mangiferin and its isomer, were quantitated in the leaves of five species of Coffee leaves from Brazil and Costa Rica respectively. The amount of total mangiferins in methanol extracts of the Brazilian species; was in the range 0.67–4.97 g/kg, whereas in the Costa Rican species, it lay in the range 0.85–4.01 g/kg. In 90 % of cases, mangiferin accounted for 80 % or more of total mangiferins; as opposed to isomangiferin. Infusion studies with powdered leaves of a commercial Brazilian species (Coffea arabica) shows that the release of mangiferins is temperature dependent and that release at 100 °C (1.6 ± 0.06 g/kg) is instantaneous, but approximately 50 % less compared to prolonged methanol extraction (3.05 ± 0.16 g/kg). Consumption of Coffee leaf tea brews, as a natural source of mangiferins, may contribute significantly to elevated intake of these potentially health-promoting phenolic compounds.

Coffee volatiles induced after mechanical injury and beetle herbivory attract the coffee berry borer and two of its parasitoids

The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), is the most important insect pest of coffee worldwide. In this study, we used headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to sample and identify volatile compounds from Robusta coffee berries, Coffea canephora Pierre ex Froehner, infested with CBB and with mechanical damage. Furthermore, we evaluated the behavioral responses of the CBB and two of its parasitoids, Prorops nasuta Waterstone and Phymastichus coffea LaSalle, to three selected coffee volatile compounds in a Y-tube olfactometer. We found in the effluvia of red coffee berry compounds not previously reported for this coffee species. Our results show that Robusta coffee berries release induced volatiles either by insect herbivory or by mechanical damage. Small amount of butyl acetate, unknown compound 2, α-longipinene, longiborneol and longiborneol acetate are produced only in infested coffee berries fruits. Quantitatively, nine compounds account for the difference between healthy berries, infested, or mechanically damaged berries. Trans-ocimene, 4,8-dimethyl-3,7-nonadien-2-ol, α-copaene and kaurene increased amount levels in infested berries, while amount of methyl salicylate and linalool increased in mechanically damaged coffee berries. The olfactometric bioassays showed that CBB females and its two parasitoids were attracted to methyl salicylate. In addition, H. hampei and P. nasuta were attracted to linalool, and P. nasuta and P. coffea were attracted to trans-ocimene.

Characterization of the Promoter of the Homeobox Gene CaHB12 in Coffea arabica

Abiotic stresses, especially drought, are major bottlenecks for crop production. The CaHB12 gene codes for a transcription factor belonging to the HD-Zip family, and this gene was found to be induced by drought conditions in Coffea arabica. The overexpression of CaHB12 confers drought tolerance to transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants. In this study, the promoter of CaHB12 was isolated and characterized. Two different promoter sequences were identified in C. arabica, a tetraploid species. Cloning and sequencing of the HB12 promoter regions of the ancestral species C. canephora and C. eugenioides suggest that the C. arabica sequences originated from the diploid parental ancestors. In silico promoter analysis showed typical cis-elements for responses to drought, salinity and abscisic acid in both sequences identified in the C. arabica genome. The expression activity of two fragments from each promoter, referred to as pCc_CaHB12–979, pCc_CaHB12–356, pCe_CaHB12–749 and pCe_CaHB12–356, were investigated using uidA as the reporter gene in transgenic A. thaliana plants. In plants bearing the pCc_CaHB12–979::GUS construct, GUS activity was observed in leaves during drought stress and in roots after treatment with polyethylene glycol or mannitol. The pCc_CaHB12 (356 bp) promoter fragment showed activity after treatment with ABA. Real-time qPCR analysis of the uidA gene was used to quantify expression of the promoter fragments. Interestingly, the two pCe_CaHB12 promoter fragments showed no activity under the experimental conditions tested. These results suggest that the CaHB12 gene is stress-inducible and regulated by the pCc_CaHB12 promoter, a sequence putatively inherited from the drought-tolerant coffee species C. canephora.

Discrimination of post-harvest coffee processing methods by microbial ecology analyses

Two main types of processing are applied to coffee: the dry and wet processes. The aim of this study was to measure the impact of post-harvest processing on coffee microbial ecology and search for microbial markers of process discrimination. Coffee samples were collected in three farms in two locations of West Cameroon (Bafoussam and Dschang). Samples of Coffea arabica were collected along wet and dry methods and Coffea canephora samples were collected only during treatment using the dry method. Bacterial and fungal communities present on coffee beans were determined by using a molecular method PCR-DGGE (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis) generating 16S rDNA and 26S rDNA profiles for bacteria and fungi. Results showed that microbial ecology structures were different depending on three main parameters: i) the method applied, ii) the coffee species and iii) their geographical origin. Statistical analysis applied allowed to measure the impact of all parameters and showed that the method was the major parameter influencing microbial communities' structure. Microbial DNA markers that appear specific of coffee origin, species or treatment were identified, such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) which were detected only during wet process. They are specific of the fermentation step. DNA from Wallemia sp. was only detected in Robusta coffee beans (Coffea canephora). The study of microbial communities at the molecular level appears as a promising approach to discriminate between coffee processing types.

Long-term elevated air [CO2 ] strengthens photosynthetic functioning and mitigates the impact of supra-optimal temperatures in tropical Coffea arabica and C.canephora species.

The tropical coffee crop has been predicted to be threatened by future climate changes and global warming. However, the real biological effects of such changes remain unknown. Therefore, this work aims to link the physiological and biochemical responses of photosynthesis to elevated air [CO2 ] and temperature in cultivated genotypes of Coffea arabica L. (cv. Icatu and IPR108) and Coffea canephora cv. Conilon CL153. Plants were grown for ca. 10 months at 25/20°C (day/night) and 380 or 700 μl CO2 l(-1) and then subjected to temperature increase (0.5°C day(-1) ) to 42/34°C. Leaf impacts related to stomatal traits, gas exchanges, C isotope composition, fluorescence parameters, thylakoid electron transport and enzyme activities were assessed at 25/20, 31/25, 37/30 and 42/34°C. The results showed that (1) both species were remarkably heat tolerant up to 37/30°C, but at 42/34°C a threshold for irreversible nonstomatal deleterious effects was reached. Impairments were greater in C. arabica (especially in Icatu) and under normal [CO2 ]. Photosystems and thylakoid electron transport were shown to be quite heat tolerant, contrasting to the enzymes related to energy metabolism, including RuBisCO, which were the most sensitive components. (2) Significant stomatal trait modifications were promoted almost exclusively by temperature and were species dependent. Elevated [CO2 ], (3) strongly mitigated the impact of temperature on both species, particularly at 42/34°C, modifying the response to supra-optimal temperatures, (4) promoted higher water-use efficiency under moderately higher temperature (31/25°C) and (5) did not provoke photosynthetic downregulation. Instead, enhancements in [CO2 ] strengthened photosynthetic photochemical efficiency, energy use and biochemical functioning at all temperatures. Our novel findings demonstrate a relevant heat resilience of coffee species and that elevated [CO2 ] remarkably mitigated the impact of heat on coffee physiology, therefore playing a key role in this crop sustainability under future climate change scenarios.

Can Coffee Chemical Compounds and Insecticidal Plants Be Harnessed for Control of Major Coffee Pests?

Pests and pathogens threaten coffee production worldwide and are difficult to control using conventional methods, such as insecticides. We review the literature on the chemistry of coffee, concentrating on compounds most commonly reported from Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora. Differences in chemistry can distinguish coffee species and varieties, and plants grown under different biogeographic conditions exhibit different chemotypes. A number of chemical groups, such as alkaloids and caffeoylquinic acids, are known to be insecticidal, but most studies have investigated their effects on coffee quality and flavor. More research is required to bridge this gap in knowledge, so that coffee can be bred to be more resistant to pests. Furthermore, we report on some pesticidal plants that have been used for control of coffee pests. Locally sourced pesticidal plants have been underutilized and offer a sustainable alternative to conventional insecticides and could be used to augment breeding for resilience of coffee plants.

Transcriptome analysis in Coffea eugenioides, an Arabica coffee ancestor, reveals differentially expressed genes in leaves and fruits.

Studies in diploid parental species of polyploid plants are important to understand their contributions to the formation of plant and species evolution. Coffea eugenioides is a diploid species that is considered to be an ancestor of allopolyploid Coffea arabica together with Coffea canephora. Despite its importance in the evolutionary history of the main economic species of coffee, no study has focused on C. eugenioides molecular genetics. RNA-seq creates the possibility to generate reference transcriptomes and identify coding genes and potential candidates related to important agronomic traits. Therefore, the main objectives were to obtain a global overview of transcriptionally active genes in this species using next-generation sequencing and to analyze specific genes that were highly expressed in leaves and fruits with potential exploratory characteristics for breeding and understanding the evolutionary biology of coffee. A de novo assembly generated 36,935 contigs that were annotated using eight databases. We observed a total of ~5000 differentially expressed genes between leaves and fruits. Several genes exclusively expressed in fruits did not exhibit similarities with sequences in any database. We selected ten differentially expressed unigenes in leaves and fruits to evaluate transcriptional profiles using qPCR. Our study provides the first gene catalog for C. eugenioides and enhances the knowledge concerning the mechanisms involved in the C. arabica homeologous. Furthermore, this work will open new avenues for studies into specific genes and pathways in this species, especially related to fruit, and our data have potential value in assisted breeding applications.

Current status of coffee genetic resources: implications for conservation – case study in Madagascar

Coffee genetic resources are being lost at a rapid pace, leading to loss of genetic diversity. Various threats contribute to the erosion of coffee genetic diversity such as human population pressures leading to conversion of land to agriculture, deforestation and land degradation; low coffee prices leading to abandoning of coffee trees in forests and gardens and shifting cultivation to other more remunerative crops; and climate change. Additionally, the cultivated species of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) has a very narrow genetic base. Increased incidence of pests and diseases associated with climate change is leading to significant crop losses, threatening livelihoods in many coffee growing countries. A comprehensive conservation strategy for coffee should take into account complementary methods of in situ and ex situ conservation. The development of molecular techniques has expanded the possibilities and tools for genetic analysis for efficient conservation and use of coffee genetic resources. Before it is too late, a thorough evaluation of existing germplasm should be performed based upon which a comprehensive conservation strategy could be developed. A case study using four different Coffea species in Madagascar is discussed.

Active transposable elements recover species boundaries and geographic structure in Madagascan coffee species.

The completion of the genome assembly for the economically important coffee plant Coffea canephora (Rubiaceae) has allowed the use of bioinformatic tools to identify and characterize a diverse array of transposable elements (TEs), which can be used in evolutionary studies of the genus. An overview of the copy number and location within the C. canephora genome of four TEs is presented. These are tested for their use as molecular markers to unravel the evolutionary history of the Millotii Complex, a group of six wild coffee (Coffea) species native to Madagascar. Two TEs from the Gypsy superfamily successfully recovered some species boundaries and geographic structure among samples, whereas a TE from the Copia superfamily did not. Notably, species occurring in evergreen moist forests of eastern and southeastern Madagascar were divergent with respect to species in other habitats and regions. Our results suggest that the peak of transpositional activity of the Gypsy and Copia TEs occurred, respectively, before and after the speciation events of the tested Madagascan species. We conclude that the utilization of active TEs has considerable potential to unravel the evolutionary history and delimitation of closely related Coffea species. However, the selection of TE needs to be experimentally tested, since each element has its own evolutionary history. Different TEs with similar copy number in a given species can render different dendrograms; thus copy number is not a good selection criterion to attain phylogenetic resolution.

Practical comparison of sparse methods for classification of Arabica and Robusta coffee species using near infrared hyperspectral imaging

In the present work sparse-based methods are applied to the analysis of hyperspectral images with the aim at studying their capability of being adequate methods for variable selection in a classification framework. The key aspect of sparse methods is the possibility of performing variable selection by forcing the model coefficients related to irrelevant variables to zero. In particular, two different sparse classification approaches, i.e. sPCA+kNN and sPLS-DA, were compared with the corresponding classical methods (PCA+kNN and PLS-DA) to classify Arabica and Robusta coffee species. Green coffee samples were analyzed using near infrared hyperspectral imaging and the average spectra from each hyperspectral image were used to build training and test sets; furthermore a test image was used to evaluate the performances of the considered methods at pixel-level. In our case, sparse methods led to similar results as classical methods, with the advantage of obtaining more interpretable and parsimonious models. An important result to highlight is that variable selection performed with two different sparse classification approaches converged to the selection of same spectral regions, which implies the chemical relevance of those regions in the discrimination of Arabica and Robusta coffee species.

Discrimination between Arabica and Robusta Coffees Using Hydrosoluble Compounds: Is the Efficiency of the Parameters Dependent on the Roast Degree?

Coffea arabica (arabica) and Coffea canephora (robusta) are the most important coffee species. Arabica has higher commercial value and, in general, more favorable sensory characteristics. After roasting, analytical methods are required to differentiate species. Blends with different proportions of arabica/robusta coffees, roasted at three degrees were studied. Color parameters and the levels of chlorogenic (5-CQA) and nicotinic acids, caffeine, and trigonelline were evaluated. Hydrosoluble compounds were analyzed by their efficiency to discriminate coffee species, considering different roast degrees. Caffeine was a good discriminator, regardless of roast degree. The roast degree influenced the efficiency of discrimination of the other hydrosoluble compounds. A model using color parameters and the variables Ratio (5-CQA/caffeine contents ratio) and Sum (sum of nicotinic acid and trigonelline contents) was proposed to the estimation of roasting degree. Considering the use of heat-labile compounds, the discrimination among coffee species should be carried out in two steps: first, the characterization of roasting degree, and subsequently the appropriate parameters are defined for each roasting degree. Thus, the combined use of color parameters and hydrosoluble compounds could be useful to help the differentiation of coffee species in blends of roasted samples.