Comportamento de consumidores de café e perfil de compostos fenólicos,bioacessibilidade, atividade antioxidante e antinutricional em infusões de café, de folhas de café e de folhas de amoreira

Abstract

Coffee is a popular beverage, appreciated for its flavor and stimulating effect. Despite its widespread consumption, there is little discussion about how the roasting process of coffee can affect its composition and health benefits. Coffee infusion, especially filtered, is known for its pleasant aroma and taste, offering various bioactive compounds that can be beneficial to human health. Additionally, there are alternatives to complement coffee infusion for therapeutic effects, such as adding infusions made from coffee leaves, which are rich in phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and chlorophyll. Another option is mulberry leaf infusion, which is also rich in phenolic compounds and antioxidants. Mulberry is a medicinal plant known for its usefulness in folk medicine, with high nutritional value and compounds with therapeutic action. However, there are few studies analyzing the bioaccessibility of compounds present in coffee infusion at different roasting levels, as well as in infusions of coffee and mulberry leaves. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the behavior of coffee consumers and compare the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds using an in vitro digestion model and coffee infusions, across different roasting types, and in infusions of coffee and mulberry leaves. Additionally, the study aimed to analyze the antioxidant activity and concentration of antinutritional factors in these infusions. An online questionnaire was used to assess consumer preferences. Based on the responses (502 participants), medium roast was the most popular (64.1%), followed by dark roast (29.9%), while only 6% preferred light roast. Paper filters were the most commonly used (55.2%), followed by cloth filters (23.3%), and the majority (66.9%) reported letting the water reach boiling point. Mulberry leaf infusion had the highest total phenolic content. Regarding antioxidant activity, infusions of coffee and mulberry leaves surpassed dark roast. Coffee leaf infusion had a higher content of antinutritional factors. Before digestion, mulberry leaf and medium roast infusions had higher trigonelline concentration, while coffee leaf infusion had more chlorogenic and gallic acids. After digestion, coffee leaf, mulberry leaf, and medium roast infusions contained more trigonelline, gallic, and caffeic acids. Light and medium roast infusions contained more theobromine and chlorogenic and syringic acids. Medium roast showed a better phenolic profile before digestion, while dark roast had the worst after digestion. All infusions showed a reduction in chlorogenic and caffeic acids. Regarding bioaccessibility, there was variation among infusions, with medium roast infusion standing out. Based on the data, it is suggested that the thermal processing of coffee influences both the quantity of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity present in coffee infusions, with dark roast infusion showing lower phenolic compound content and antioxidant activity.