Melanoidin Content Research Articles

Antioxidant activity, polyphenols, caffeine and melanoidins in soluble coffee: The influence of processing conditions and raw material

The production of soluble coffee starts with the selection of beans and is followed by roasting, grinding, extraction and drying. Lyophilised soluble coffees extracted by various methods from light, medium and dark-roasted arabica and robusta beans were evaluated for antioxidant activity (AA) using ABTS, Folin, DPPH and FRAP techniques. Caffeine, chlorogenic acid (5-CQA) and melanoidin content was also quantified. The data were analysed by principal component analysis. The AA values derived from the various methods used were correlated. Roasting resulted in the degradation of 5-CQA and formation of melanoidins, while AA was largely unaffected by roasting. The extraction of soluble coffee more prominently affected the AA of light-roasted coffee, mainly because it favoured the extraction of 5-CQA. The larger caffeine content in robusta coffee resulted in greater AA. All of soluble coffee products studied possessed antioxidant potential, which was conferred by their concentrations of phenolic compounds, caffeine and melanoidins.

CONTRIBUTION OF MELANOIDINS TO THE ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF TRADITIONAL BALSAMIC VINEGAR DURING AGING

ABSTRACT The contribution of high-molecular-weight melanoidins to the overall antioxidant activity of traditional balsamic vinegar (TBV) has been determined. High-molecular-weight melanoidins are gradually synthesized and accumulated during TBV aging contributing significantly to the browning of the vinegar. The increase in antioxidant activity of TBV during aging is largely because of the formation of high-molecular-weight melanoidins and only in lesser part to the concentration of polyphenols deriving from the grape or to the formation of low-molecular-weight Maillard reaction or caramelization products during must cooking and vinegar aging. During aging, low-molecular-weight compounds are progressively incorporated into the melanoidins skeleton and may contribute significantly to the antioxidant activity of high-molecular-weight melanoidins. Among these compounds, it has been shown that antioxidant phenolic compounds are progressively incorporated into the melanoidins skeleton during TBV aging. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Recently, scientific interest in the field of high-molecular-weight melanoidins has increased because of their varied biological activities and functional properties. Traditional balsamic vinegar (TBV) is a potentially healthy seasoning with high melanoidins content that increases during aging resulting in a product with a strong antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of aged TBV is due both to high-molecular-weight melanoidins and to low-molecular-weight compounds such as polyphenols (like phenolic acids, monomeric catechins, flavonols and tannins) and Maillard reaction or caramelization products. Apart from their bioavailability, TBV melanoidins and low-molecular-weight antioxidants may exert their effect on the digestive tract where they can play an important role in protecting the gastrointestinal tract itself from oxidative damage.

Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) Studies on the Formation of Roasting-Induced Antioxidative Structures in Coffee Brews at Different Degrees of Roast

The antioxidative properties of coffee brew fractions were studied using electron spin resonance spectroscopy using 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidin-1-oxyl (TEMPO) and Fremy's salt (nitrosodisulfonate) as stabilized radicals. TEMPO was scavenged by antioxidants formed during roasting and not by chlorogenic acid, whereas Fremy's salt was scavenged by all antioxidants tested including chlorogenic acid. The stabilized radical TEMPO allowed the exclusive measurement of roasting-induced antioxidants. The roasting-induced antioxidant activity of coffee brews increased with increasing degree of roast, and most of these antioxidants were formed during the initial roasting stage. The majority of these roasting-induced antioxidants were present in the high molecular weight fractions, indicating that the formation of these antioxidants preferably occurs at specific high molecular weight structures, likely being arabinogalactan and/or protein moieties which might be part of the melanoidin complex. It was found that chlorogenic acids most probably do not lose their antioxidant activity and phenolic characteristics upon incorporation in coffee melanoidins. The parameter fast reacting antioxidants (FRA) was introduced as an alternative for the antioxidative potential. FRA levels showed that coffee fractions rich in roasting-induced antioxidants exposed their antioxidant activity relatively slowly, which must be a consequence of its complex structure. Finally, the melanoidin content and the roasting-induced antioxidant activity showed a positive and linear correlation for the coffee brew fractions, showing that roasting-induced antioxidants are present within melanoidins. This is the first time that the formation of roasting-induced antioxidants could be directly correlated with the extent of Maillard reaction and melanoidin formation in a complex product such as coffee.

High Molecular Weight Melanoidins from Coffee Brew

The composition of high molecular weight (HMw) coffee melanoidin populations, obtained after ethanol precipitation, was studied. The specific extinction coefficient (K(mix)) at 280, 325, 405 nm, sugar composition, phenolic group content, nitrogen content, amino acid composition, and non-protein nitrogen (NPN) content were investigated. Results show that most HMw coffee melanoidins are soluble at high ethanol concentrations. The amino acid composition of the HMw fractions was similar, while 17% (w/w) of the nitrogen was NPN, probably originating from degraded amino acids/proteins and now part of melanoidins. A strong correlation between the melanoidin content, the NPN, and protein content was found. It was concluded that proteins are incorporated into the melanoidins and that the degree of chemical modification, for example, by phenolic groups, determines the solubility of melanoidins in ethanol. Although the existence of covalent interaction between melanoidins and polysaccharides were not proven in this study, the findings suggest that especially arabinogalactan is likely involved in melanoidin formation. Finally, phenolic groups were present in the HMw fraction of coffee, and a correlation was found with the melanoidin concentration.

Inhibition of Induced DNA Oxidative Damage by Beers: Correlation with the Content of Polyphenols and Melanoidins

Beers are a source of dietary flavonoids; however, there exist differences in composition, alcohol concentration, and beneficial activities. To characterize these differences, three kinds of lager beer of habitual consumption in Spain, dark, blond, and alcohol-free, were assayed for total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, and in vitro inhibitory effect on DNA oxidative damage. Furthermore, their melanoidin content and correlation with antioxidant activity were evaluated. Dark beer contained the highest total phenolic (489 +/- 52 mg/L) and melanoidin (1.49 +/- 0.02 g/L) contents with a 2-fold difference observed when compared to the alcohol-free beer. For the three kinds of beer, the antioxidant activity measured as N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride concentration was strongly correlated with the total polyphenol content (R(2) = 0.91102, p < 0.005) and with the melanoidin content (R(2) = 0.7999, p < 0.05). The results support a positive effect of beers on the protection of DNA oxidative damage, by decreasing the deoxyribose degradation, DNA scission (measured by electrophoresis), and inhibition of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) formation. Furthermore, a correlation between the total melanoidin content (R(2) = 0.7309, p < 0.01) and inhibition of 8-OH-dG was observed.