Influence of the Degree of Roasting on the Antioxidant Capacity and Genoprotective Effect of Instant Coffee: Contribution of the Melanoidin Fraction

The roasting process induces chemical changes in coffee beans that strongly affect the antioxidant activity of coffee. In this study, the polyphenol and melanoidin contents and the antioxidant activity of three instant coffees with different roasting degrees (light, medium, and dark) were assessed. Coffee brews were separated into fractions, and the potential biological activity of the melanoidins was evaluated by simulating their gastrointestinal digestion. Total antioxidant capacity, hydroxyl radical scavenger activity, lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity, and protection against DNA oxidative damage (in vitro and ex vivo genoprotective effects) were determined. We report that instant coffee has a high total antioxidant capacity and protective effect against certain oxidative stress biomarkers (lipids and DNA), although this capacity decreases with the roasting degree. Our study confirms the hypothesis that several of the polyphenols present in coffee may become part of the melanoidins generated during roasting. Furthermore, the elevated genoprotective effect of melanoidin-digested fractions is noteworthy.