The use of fatty acid profile as a potential marker for Brazilian coffee (Coffea arabica L.) for corn adulteration

Abstract

A composição de ésteres metílicos de ácidos graxos (EMAGs) das variedades de café (Coffea arabica L.) Catuai, Catucaí, Bourbom, Mundo Novo, Rubí e Topázio conhecidas por produzirem bebidas de qualidade intermediária, ótima, ótima, intermediária, intermediária e inferior, respectivamente, foi determinada pela primeira vez. A (%) de área média dos seguintes ácidos das seis variedades foi: palmítico (38,2), esteárico (8,3), oléico (8,7), linoléico (38,5), linolênico (1,6) e araquidônico (3,6), respectivamente. O método é bastante rápido, com a completa caracterização das amostras estudadas (99%) ocorrendo em menos de 6 minutos. Enquanto esses valores podem fornecer informação para a avaliação da qualidade do café, nenhum efeito significativo (p < 0,05) da variedade de café foi encontrado na (%) de área das EMAGs. Além disso, foram comparados os EMAGs de: seis amostras de milho, seis marcas de café comerciais e uma amostra de café comercial intencionalmente adulterada com três quantidades de milho. Apesar da razão ácido linoléico/ácido esteárico encontrada nos EMAGs do café e do milho serem significativamente diferentes, não foi possível utilizar esse marcador para detectar adulteração do milho em cafés comerciais.Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) composition of the coffee (Coffea arabica L.) varieties Catuai, Catucaí, Bourbom, Mundo Novo, Rubí and Topázio known to produce beverage of intermediate, excellent, excellent, intermediate, intermediate and poor quality, respectively, was determined for the first time. Average area % of the FAMEs of the six varieties was: palmitic (38.2), stearic (8.3), oleic (8.6), linoleic (38.5), linolenic (1.6) and arachidic (3.6) acids, respectively. The method was very quick with complete characterization (>99%) of the samples studied being possible in less than 6 min. While these values may provide insights for evaluating the coffee quality, no significant effect (p < 0.05) of coffee variety was found on area % of the FAMEs. In addition, FAMEs of six corn samples, six commercial coffee brands and one commercial coffee sample intentionally contaminated with three levels of corn were compared. Although the linoleic/stearic ratio was significantly different in coffee and corn FAMEs, this probe could not be used a marker to detect corn adulteration in commercial coffees.Keywords: coffee, coffee quality, fatty acids, corn, adulteration IntroductionCoffee (Coffea arabica, L.) quality may be lowered through hydrolysis of triacylglycerols (TAGs) resulting in release of free fatty acids (FAs) which are oxidized to produce off-flavor.1 However, no studies have been conducted relating FAs to coffee quality despite the fact that they are known to be important flavor components.2 Coffee quality can also be lowered by adulteration with cereals, coffee twigs, caramel, etc. This practice may be widespread in Brazil, with corn being considered the most widely used adulterant, due to its significantly lower cost. Few studies have been reported detecting corn in coffee 3-5 but only one study has detected...

Fatty Acids Profile of Coffea arabica L. Resistant to Leaf Rust Grown in Two Environments of Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…This fact was not observed by Figueiredo et al (2015) and Jham et al (Jham et al, 2008) in studies with C. arabica cultivars. However, Martín et al (2001) could distinguish genotypes of C. arabica and C. canephora through the content of the fatty acids.…”

“…Through the gas chromatography was possible to identify seven fatty acids in the raw grains of Arabica coffee. Being five of them fully studied in past studies with coffee, they are: palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid (D' Amélio et al, 2013;Bertrand et al, 2008;Jham et al, 2008;Joët et al, 2010;Martín et al, 2001;Vilarreal et al, 2009;Wagemaker et al, 2011). The presence of a fatty acid less common in coffee grains, the gamma linolenic acid, was also verified.…”

“…The fatty acids play a role in a series of catabolic reactions that lead to the production of compounds of flavor and aroma typical in food (Collins et al, 2003), and have capacity to cover the tongue during the digestion, providing an fatty and creamy buccal sensation, typical of the body of the drink. However, the unsaturated fatty acids, as linoleic, linolenic, and oleic due to the facility to suffer oxidation, in many cases are related with the development of unwanted flavors in vegetal oils (Illy & Viani, 2005;Jham et al, 2008). A2C9 A1C8 A1C3 A1C9 A1C5 A2C3 A1C1 A2C2 A1C6 A2C8 A2C1 A1C7 A1C2 A2C5 A2C6 A1C4 A2C4 A2C7 PC1 Score Vol.…”

“…linolenic and arachidic acids in the quality of the coffee and also in the differentiation of environments (Bertrand et al, 2008;Figueiredo et al, 2015;Jham et al, 2008;Vilarreal et al, 2009). …”

Sensory Profile and Chemical Composition of Specialty Coffees from Matas de Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…From the above and analyzing the Figure 4b, you can see that the fatty acids C18:0, C14:0, C18:1, and C20:2 were important for the separation of coffees of lower and intermediate acidity scores (09CD, 10CD, 03CD, 08CD and 02CD) within the Group II. It is reported that the lack of balance of flavor in foods is associated with low levels of saturated fatty acids (Banks et al, 2007) and unsaturated fatty acids, due to the ease of suffering oxidation and produce rancid flavor, can collaborate to the decrease of food quality (Jham et al, 2008). In this study, it was observed that both saturated fatty acid (C18:0) and the unsaturated fatty acid (C20:2) are able to discriminate pulped coffees by the sensory scores of the attributes and final score.…”