Identification of Chemical Clusters Discriminators of Arabica and Robusta Green Coffee

The chemical parameters pH, soluble solids, caffeine, trigonelline, total chlorogenic acids, total caffeoylquinic acids, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, total dicaffeoylquinic acids, 3,4-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 4,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, total feruloylquinic acids, 3-O-feruloylquinic acid, and 5-O-feruloylquinic acid were measured in Arabica (C. arabica) and Robusta (C. canephora) green coffees in order to determine discrimination parameters. In general, Robusta green coffee showed higher values for pH, soluble solids, caffeine, total caffeoylquinic acids, total dicaffeoylquinic acid, and total feruloylquinic acid, but the content of soluble solids was not significantly different in both species of green coffee. Through application of a multivariate analysis, it was concluded that these chemicals form three clusters, being the group of caffeine, trigonelline, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-O-feruloylquinic acid, 5-O-feruloylquinic acid, 3,4-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and 4,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid highly discriminating for Arabica and Robusta green coffees.