Extraction of soluble sugars from green coffee beans using hot water and quantification by a chromatographic method without an organic solvent
Leonel Vinícius Constantino, Douglas Mariani Zeffa, Alessandra Koltun, Mariana Ragassi Urbano, Alisson Wilson Santos Sanzovo, Suzana Lucy Nixdorf
Abstract
An optimal condition for extraction of soluble sugars from green coffee using water and a validated chromatographic method for its separation and quantification were proposed in this research. An orbital incubator shaker (OIS) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were the 2 techniques used to extract soluble sugars. In such experiments, the variables: sample amount (300, 400, and 500 mg), time (30, 60, and 90 min), and temperature (30, 45, and 60 °C) were tested. The separation of sugars was performed in a chromatographic system (high-performance liquid chromatography refractive index detector [HPLC-RID]), which presented the selectivity for the analytes, a limit of detection of 0.020 g/L, a limit of quantification of 0.0625 g/L, and recovery rates greater than 95%. The repeatability and inter-day precision had low dispersion, RSD < 2.0% and < 3.0%, respectively. Sucrose content ranged from 0.65 to 2.39 g/L using an OIS and from 1.19 to 2.72 g/L by MAE, while glucose and fructose concentration varied from 0.08 to 0.12 g/L using both methods. The OIS technique is preferably indicated for extraction of soluble sugars at the following conditions: 500 mg of grounded green coffee, 90 min, and 60 °C. The proposed method for soluble sugar extraction and quantification may be applied in research laboratories and food industries since it is a low-cost and environment-friendly technique.