The Antioxidant Content of Coffee and Its In Vitro Activity as an Effect of Its Production Method and Roasting and Brewing Time

Abstract

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. The high production and health properties of coffee make it one of the best among daily drinks. Coffee is wrongly identified as only a stimulant because of its caffeine content. On the other hand, coffee is one of the best sources of other bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. Organic coffee is produced without artificial fertilizers and pesticides. Not only the high quality of beans but also roasting and brewing times guarantee the best taste and quality of coffee beverages. The aim of the present experiment was to determine the best level of roasting and brewing time for organic and conventional coffee. The experiment was carried out with Peru coffee beans from organic and conventional farms. The contents of caffeine and bioactive compounds were measured in different roasted and brewed coffee drinks. The obtained results showed that the conventional coffee contained significantly more caffeine, total flavonoids, and quercetin derivatives than the organic coffee. On the other hand, the organic coffee was characterized by a higher level of almost all bioactive compounds. The best level of roasting was determined to be medium, and the optimal brewing time was 3 minutes.