Accumulation of flavor precursors and markers belonging to different primary processing Coffea arabica beans

Abstract

The primary processing treatments constructed the unique flavor precursor basis of Coffea arabica green beans of Yunnan. To understand the flavor precursors' profile of C. arabica, chemical basis and antioxidant (ABTS^•+ and FRAP) and xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activities of green coffee beans with three primary treatments were investigated. A total of 179 metabolites and 11 markers belonging to different primary treated beans were elucidated. In the accumulation of flavor precursors, chlorogenic acid analogs were focused on the sun-exposed way, caffeine and phenolamides were each characteristic compounds of the washing and honey treatments. Through in vitro analysis, desirable antioxidant and XO inhibiting activities were both elucidated in the honey treatment beans, while XO inhibitory potential was discovered in washing treated green beans. In this finding, a new prospect for flavor exploration and quality improvement of C. arabica of Yunnan with different primary processing treatments was proposed.