Chemical composition and anti-radical properties of coffee cherry cultivated in Mediterranean climate

Abstract

Climate change occurring in the last decades in the Mediterranean basin is allowing to experiment with the cultivation of new exotic crops from different parts of the world.The present study focuses on the evaluation of coffee plant adaptation to the Mediterranean climate and determining the chemical composition of coffee beans (Coffea arabica cv. Caturra) grown in Sicily, Italy. Weather variables' data (air temperature, relative humidity and light exposure) for the location of the study were studied. Antiradical capacity, total phenolic content, polyphenolic, fatty acids, amino acids profiles, alkaloids and other bioactive compounds of nutraceutical and cosmetic significance of coffee husks (comprising mostly outer skin and pulp) and seeds cultivated in Mediterranean climate. The study revealed that in coffee cherry cultivated in the Mediterranean climate, similar amounts of chemical constituents such as fatty acids, amino acids, polyphenols, flavonoids, chlorogenic acids and vitamins were found concerning coffee grown in the equatorial regions of the earth called "coffee belt".