Organic and Conventional Coffea arabica L.: A Comparative Study of the Chemical Composition and Physiological, Biochemical and Toxicological Effects in Wistar Rats

Abstract

Differentiation between organic and conventional coffee has increased due to the growing demand and high consumption of healthy foods that contain compounds with antioxidant potential, which have been associated with the reduction of chronic diseases. We used organic and conventional coffee in powder 4% (w/w) and infusions 5%, 10% and 20% (w/v) incorporated in a commercial diet to test in vivo. The levels of chlorogenic acid, caffeine and trigonelline were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The body weight, weight gain, food consumption, aberrant foci crypt, mucin depleted foci, stress biomarkers protein carbonyl and malondialdehyde, biochemical parameters and behavior of the rats were compared between the experimental and control groups within a framework of colon carcinogenesis. The organic coffee showed higher levels of chlorogenic acid, caffeine and trigonelline than conventional, however, this difference did not significantly affect behavior. The infusions had an antioxidant effect, reducing the levels of malondialdehyde; however, the biochemical parameters of the serum were not altered, and there was neither induction nor prevention of preneoplasic lesions.

Effects of Trigonelline, an Alkaloid Present in Coffee, on Diabetes-Induced Disorders in the Rat Skeletal System

“…daily), used in the present study in rats, corresponds to a dose of 5 mg/kg in man (350 mg/70 kg), taking into account the usual conversion factor of 10, resulting from the faster rat metabolism. Moderate to heavy coffee drinkers can be exposed to similar trigonelline doses, considering that the trigonelline content in roasted coffee may be of similar order to that of caffeine [ 10 , 11 ], and an upper limit for moderate caffeine intake for healthy adult humans is usually thought to be 400 mg (four cups of coffee) daily [ 6 , 55 ].…”

“…Trigonelline belongs to major components of coffee, where it is present in amounts similar or smaller than those of caffeine [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Trigonelline is also present in fenugreek ( Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed, used in traditional medicine [ 13 ].…”

Unfavorable effect of trigonelline, an alkaloid present in coffee and fenugreek, on bone mechanical properties in estrogen‐deficient rats

“…However, it corresponds to a dose of 5 mg/kg in man (i.e., 350 mg/70 kg), taking into account the usual conversion factor of 10, used due to the faster rat metabolism. Such a dose is achievable in moderate‐to‐heavy coffee drinkers, assuming that the trigonelline content in roasted coffee is similar to or slightly lower than that of caffeine . It is thought that a moderate caffeine intake for healthy adult humans is up to 400 mg per day—approximately four cups of coffee .…”

Bioactive Micronutrients in Coffee: Recent Analytical Approaches for Characterization and Quantification

“…However, Coffea canephora and Coffea arabica are the two most economically important species [8, 9]. It can now be found in both organic and conventional types [10]. Presently, the largest coffee bean producing region is Latin America [11], leading to an immense boost in the economy of the respective countries by bringing in the much needed foreign exchange.…”