What is the caffeine content of a coffee bean?
By
Dr Rafael Frascino Cassaro (PhD)
| Reviewed by
Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)
The contents of this article are fact-based except otherwise stated within the article.
Author bio
Dr Rafael Frascino Cassaro PhD is a Chemist with expertise in Food Technology, extraction of essential oils from food sources, organocatalysis, extraction by supercritical CO2 and organic chemistry. He writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Rafael Frascino Cassaro’s Highlights:
- PIPE-FAPESP Project Coordinator for the company Bioativos Naturais Ltda involving the extraction of essential oils from food sources, with supercritical CO2.
- PhD in Chemistry with research in supercritical fluid reactivity.
- Bachelor of Environmental Chemistry at University of São Paulo State (UNESP)/Brazil
Professional Experience:
Dr Rafael Frascino Cassaro’s Experience:
Dr Rafael coordinated a PIPE-FAPESP Project (Company Research and Innovation Project) for the company Bioativos Naturais Ltda, involving the extraction of essential oils with supercritical CO2 from food sources such as turmeric, ginger, hops, orange bagasse, pepper rose, cupuaçu pie, among others.
Dr Rafael has worked on a project, involving studies of the influence of pre-treatment on the recovery of crude food extracts by extraction with supercritical CO2 (Supercritical Fluid Extraction or SFE) and with pressurized liquids (ethanol and water) for food sources, aimed at obtaining oleoresins; determination of global yield and chemical composition of crude extracts. As a postdoctoral fellow for the Food Engineering department at the University of Campinas/Brazil
Dr Rafael Frascino Cassaro has worked as a substitute Professor at the University of São Paulo State (UNESP) on General Chemistry and Thermodynamics II disciplines for the Food Engineering course.
Education:
- 2009 Bachelor in Environmental Chemistry at the State University of São Paulo, Brazil
- 2015 PhD in Chemistry with research in supercritical fluid reactivity University of São Paulo, Brazil
- 2017 Post Doctoral in Food Engineering Research: Influence of Biomass Pre-Treatment on Supercritical CO2 Extraction: Preservation of High Added Value Assets and Reduction of Process Costs at the State University of Campinas, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Rafael Frascino Cassaro are:
RC Bazito, RF CASSARO, LC OLIVEIRA, RA Gariani, CAO Nascimento. (2013). Proline derivatives as organocatalysts for the aldol reaction in conventional and non-conventional reaction media. Green Processing and Synthesis 2, 43-50
TS Bastos, SB Rodriguez Reartes, MS Zabaloy, RF Cassaro, RC Bazito. (2019).Phase Behavior for the System Carbon Dioxide plus p-Nitrobenzaldehyde: Experimental and Modeling JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING DATA 64 (5), 2116-2125
GH Sakae, LM Takata, AS Paulino, RC Bazito, RF Cassaro, C Princival, .(2013). A high enantioselective Proline-based helical polymer catalyst for aldol type reaction. Blucher Chemistry Proceedings 1 (2), 214-214
You can view some of Dr Rafael’s work below and links to his professional profile.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rafael-Cassaro-2
Fapesp: https://bv.fapesp.br/pt/pesquisador/680718/rafael-frascino-cassaro/
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ToO7HIcAAAAJ&hl=en
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafael-frascino-cassaro-4a156a37/?originalSubdomain=br
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3729-2858
Reviewer bio
Dr Anny Manrich PhD is a food Engineer with expertise in Food Technology, Natural Polymers, Edible Films, Enzymes, and Nanotechnology. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Anny Manrich’s Highlights:
- Research and Technology at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
- PhD in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Biochemistry at the Federal University of Sao Carlos/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany
- Bachelor of Food Engineering at the University of Campinas/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany
“To solve a problem, global vision and multifactorial understanding are necessary. Therefore, in addition to expertise, one should seek multidisciplinary thinking connected with science and reality” – Dr Anny Manrich, PhD.
Professional Experience:
Dr Anny Manrich’s Experience Joining the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, as soon as she completed her doctorate,
Dr Anny Manrich has worked on several projects, including the more than three-year partnership project with BRF, a major food producer in Brazil. As a postdoctoral fellow.
Dr Anny Manrich has also contributed to several business consultancies and research projects of the National Nanotechnology Laboratory System in areas such as food technology, fibres, films and coatings and Nanotechnology; in a very determined way, having a great team relationship, being creative and committed.
Growing concerns about the safe introduction of nanomaterials into today’s life emphasises the need to create regulatory documentation in front of characterising, using and testing them. Dr Anny Manrich worked for two years on a characterization project for nanoscale materials, with the aim of exploring their possible health effects.
Despite not having specific academic training in packaging or polymeric films, Dr Anny Manrich works at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation in areas of edible and biodegradable films produced from agricultural waste and in the development of films with greater resistance to water, having articles published in renowned scientific journals, which demonstrates her multidisciplinary understanding and creativity.
In addition, she worked for four years as a consultant to a food company to develop a line of snacks that are healthy and that add functional ingredients, physiologically active compounds that bring health benefits, made from fruits and vegetables, enabling diet improvement, disease prevention and reduction of nutritional deficiencies.
Dr Anny Manrich participated as a member of the examination board for two Master’s exams and one PhD exam at the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Federal University of São Carlos.
Education:
- 2001 Bachelor in Food Engineering at the State University of Campinas, Brazil
- 1999 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich
- 2004 Master in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
- 2012 PhD in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
- 2010 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich
The main publications of Dr. Anny Manrich are:
Articles
Manrich, A., Moreira, F. K., Otoni, C. G., Lorevice, M. V., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. (2017). Hydrophobic edible films made up of tomato cutin and pectin. Carbohydrate Polymers, 164, 83-91.
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H. A., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Correlating emulsion characteristics with the properties of active starch films loaded with lemongrass essential oil. Food Hydrocolloids, 100, 105428.
Norcino, L. B., Mendes, J. F., Natarelli, C. V. L., Manrich, A., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Pectin films loaded with copaiba oil nanoemulsions for potential use as bio-based active packaging. Food Hydrocolloids, 106, 105862.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization of trypsin on chitosan gels: Use of different activation protocols and comparison with other supports. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 43.1 (2008): 54-61.
Manrich, Anny; Komesu, Andrea ; Adriano, Wellington Sabino; Tardioli, Paulo Waldir ; Giordano, Raquel Lima Camargo . Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by Multipoint Covalent Attachment on Agarose and on Chitosan Supports. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, v. 161, p. 455-467, 2010.
Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Neto, A. S., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Mattoso, L. H. C., & Martins, M. A. (2019). Development and physical-chemical properties of pectin film reinforced with spent coffee grounds by continuous casting. Carbohydrate polymers, 210, 92-99..
Milessi, T. S., Kopp, W., Rojas, M. J., Manrich, A., Baptista-Neto, A., Tardioli, P. W., … & Giordano, R. L. (2016). Immobilization and stabilization of an endoxylanase from Bacillus subtilis (XynA) for xylooligosaccharides (XOs) production. Catalysis Today, 259, 130-139.
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Manrich, A., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Development, physical‐chemical properties, and photodegradation of pectin film reinforced with malt bagasse fibers by continuous casting. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 137(39), 49178.
Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Luchesi, B. R., Dantas, A. P. S., Vanderlei, R. M., … & Martins, M. A. (2021). Thermo-physical and mechanical characteristics of composites based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) e spent coffee grounds (SCG). Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 29, 2888-2900..
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Development of quaternary nanocomposites made up of cassava starch, cocoa butter, lemongrass essential oil nanoemulsion, and brewery spent grain fibers. Journal of Food Science, 86(5), 1979-1996.
Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Manufacture and performance of peanut skin cellulose nanocrystals. Scientia Agricola, 79.
Nascimento, V. M., Manrich, A., Tardioli, P. W., de Campos Giordano, R., de Moraes Rocha, G. J., & Giordano, R. D. L. C. (2016). Alkaline pretreatment for practicable production of ethanol and xylooligosaccharides. Bioethanol, 2(1)..
Manrich, Anny, de Oliveira, J. E., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. Physicochemical and Thermal Characterization of the Spirulina platensis. J. Agric. Sci. Technol. B, v. 10, p. 298-307, 2020.
Book Chapter
Terra, I. A. A., Aoki, P. H., Delezuk, J. A. D. M., Martins, M. A., Manrich, A., Silva, M. J., … & Miranda, P. B. (2022). Técnicas de Caracterização de Polímeros. Nanotecnologia Aplicada a Polímeros, 614.
Conference Papers
Ferreira, L. F., Luvizaro, L. B., Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., Júnior, M. G., & Dias, M. V. (2017). Comparação da estabilidade de suspensões poliméricas de amido/tocoferol e quitosana/tocoferol. In: CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE POLÍMEROS, 14., 2017, Águas de Lindóia, SP.
Manrich, A., Hubinger, S. Z., & Paris, E. C. (2017). Citotoxicidade causada por nanomateriais: avaliação do micronúcleo. In: WORKSHOP DA REDE DE NANOTECNOLOGIA APLICADA AO AGRONEGÓCIO, 9., 2017, São Carlos. Anais… São Carlos: Embrapa Instrumentação, 2017. p. 655-658.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by multipoint covalent attachment on Glyoxyl Agarose Support. The 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2009.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Application of immobilized xylanase on hydrolysis of soluble wood hemicelluloses after using microwave and organosolv pre-treatments. The 32nd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2010.
You can view some of Dr Anny’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anny-Manrich-2
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=23103497100
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Ea9qpr0AAAAJ
Linkedin: https://br.linkedin.com/in/anny-manrich-20693129
In this guide, we will address the query “coffee bean caffeine content” and will discuss some topics related to this theme.
What is the caffeine content in a coffee bean?
Caffeine is the main alkaloid in coffee beans representing 0.61.2 to 2.2% of the dry bean weight. A single coffee bean has approximately 1.9 milligrams of caffeine for Arabica coffee beans and 2.9 milligrams for Robusta coffee beans.
Caffeine levels in coffee plants vary by plant species, but more than 98% of all coffee consumed in the world comes from just two varieties, Robusta and Arabica. It is possible to notice that the Robusta species has almost twice the caffeine compared to the Arabica species.
Roasted coffee beans contain higher concentration ofmore caffeine than green coffee beans. This can be explained by the roasting process that reduces the weight of the beans by removing water, without significantly changing the amount of caffeine.
However, it is important to highlight that this amount of caffeine can change by the method of preparation of the drink. (1-3)
What is the composition of coffee beans?
In summary, coffee beans contain approximately 43% carbohydrates; 7.5–10% proteins; other nitrogenous compounds (0.6% – 2.8% caffeine); 10–15% lipids; 25% melanoidins, 3.7–5%minerals and ~6% organic and inorganic acids, and esters.(2)
During roasting, there is no significant loss in terms of caffeine, its concentration will increase due to the degradation of other components.(3)
That said, green coffee beans — which are raw — aren’t very pleasant to eat. They have a bitter, woody flavor and can be hard to chew. Roasted coffee beans are slightly softer. (1)
What factors affect caffeine content?
Caffeine content and the quality of coffee beverages in general is affected by a number of elements and a series of processes, including: the environment, cultivation, post-harvest, fermentation, storage, roasting, and brewing to produce a cup of coffee.
Changes in bioactive and chemical compounds occur in all phases of coffee processing.
Roasting is an essential stage in coffee manufacturing because it produces color, aroma, and flavor.
Caffeine is moderately heat-stable during coffee roasting. Trigonelline, which is found in large concentrations in green coffee beans, is reduced constantly during the roasting process.
However, due to sublimation, caffeine loss at higher roast temperatures, caffeine concentration in dark-roast coffee tends to be lower than in lighter roasts. (3)
What is the daily dosage of caffeine?
The daily dosage of this compound should not surpass 45 mg caffeine/kg weight.
The caffeine and other chemicals present in the entire bean are just a fraction of what you receive from ordinary coffee since it is filtered and diluted with water. (4)
What are the health effects of caffeine and coffee beans?
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that impacts your brain and central nervous system, resulting in many benefits, like boosting energy, alertness, mood, memory, and performance. This chemical may also improve exercise performance and weight loss by boosting metabolism (1)
There are strong antioxidants in coffee beans, with chlorogenic acid being the most prevalent. Chlorogenic acid may lower your chance of developing diabetes and reduce inflammation, it may also have anti-cancer effects.
In coffee beans, the amount of chlorogenic acid depends on the kind of bean as well as the roasting processes used. Roasting can indeed result in a 50–95 percent reduction in chlorogenic acid, yet coffee beans are still considered one of the finest sources. (5, 6)
Does caffeine consumption have any adverse effects?
Caffeine can slightly reduce calcium absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. To mitigate the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, it is recommended to maintain adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D especially among elderly adults.
While the contribution of coffee to the development of hypertension is generally small, it can be more significant in infrequent coffee consumers.
Additionally, coffee has modest cardiovascular effects, including tachycardia, high blood pressure, and occasional arrhythmia. These acute effects are more likely to occur immediately after coffee consumption or in individuals who are more susceptible. (7)
What is the caffeine content in a cup of coffee?
Different factors can drive the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee and one of them is the type of beverage you are drinking. Different coffee brewing methods and serving sizes can result in different amounts of caffeine being ingested. Therefore, these are the approximate amounts of caffeine ingested in the main coffee preparation methods:
- A drip machine coffee cup – 80 mg of caffeine
- Manual filter coffee cup – 145 mg of caffeine
- French Press coffee cup – 107 mg of caffeine
- Percolated coffee cup – 200 mg of caffeine
- Turkish or Greek coffee cup – 200 mg of caffeine
- AeroPress coffee cup – 120 mg of caffeine
- Espresso cup – 64 mg of caffeine
What affects the caffeine content in a coffee cup?
Several factors can impact the caffeine content in the coffee cup, but the main factor is the type of the coffee bean used. That said, other factors such as the type of roasting, the brewing method, the serving size and the amount of ground coffee that a person uses can also affect the amount of caffeine in a coffee cup.
Light roasts are beans that are roasted for a shorter time and the amount of acidity is higher because the longer the beans are roasted, the more the heat removes the acidity of the beans.
Dark roasted coffee, on the other hand, has sweeter flavors because of the caramelization of the sugar at high temperatures, but has the least amount of acidity.
Although caffeine has a bitter taste, studies have shown that coffee bitterness stems from products of degradation of chlorogenic and caffeic acids. Besides, caffeine contributes greatly to coffee aroma. It reacts with other substances during roasting to form flavor compounds.
Some studies have shown that dark roasted coffee beans could contain less caffeine than light roasted coffee beans. However, this is due to the volume of the grains, because when the two roasts are compared by weight, the difference is not significant.
The more coffee a person puts to ground during the grinding process, the greater the amount of caffeine found in the beverage. However, the amount of time the coffee is ground, or the size of the particles, does not interfere with the amount of caffeine found in the beverage.
What are the main dietary sources of caffeine?
One of the main dietary sources of caffeine is coffee (approximately 40 mg per 100 grams), which is one of nature’s most powerful energy stimulants. In addition to coffee, caffeine is found in several other foods such as:
- Tea leaves (11 mg per 100 grams)
- Cocoa beans (230 mg per 100 grams)
- Guaraná berries (470 mg per 100 grams)
- Kola nuts (25 mg per 100 grams)
- Yerba maté (70 mg per 100 grams)
Research suggests that moderate caffeine consumption may be associated with a number of beneficial physiological effects, including improved physical and mental performance. Furthermore, drinking coffee has been associated with a reduction in the risk of developing several diseases, such as Parkinson’s, prostate cancer and melanoma.
Why does coffee contain caffeine?
The main function of caffeine in the coffee plant is protection against pests since this substance is toxic to most pest species and it acts as a natural pesticide.
Caffeine also serves to protect the coffee tree from competition with other plants. Once the leaves and beans fall to the ground they release small amounts of caffeine directly into the soil, preventing the growth of other wild plants in the area since the caffeine acts as an inhibitor to other wild plants.
Another use of caffeine for the plant is to be an attractant to pollinators. The coffee plant flowers produce nectar, which has small amounts of caffeine in its composition, acting as an attractant for pollinating agents.
Other FAQs about Coffee that you may be interested in.
Is it possible to get food poisoning from coffee?
Conclusion
In this guide we discussed the query “coffee bean caffeine content” and some other topics related to this theme.
Citations
- Mary Jane Brown, Can You Eat Coffee Beans? All You Need to Know. Them. Healthline Media LLC. 2020
- Farah, Adriana. Nutritional and health effects of coffee. 10.19103/AS.2017.0022.14. 2018.
- Bastian F, Hutabarat OS, Dirpan A, Nainu F, Harapan H, Emran TB, Simal-Gandara J. From Plantation to Cup: Changes in Bioactive Compounds during Coffee Processing. Foods. 2021
- Caroline Woelffel Silva, Keila Rodrigues Zanardi, et. al. Green coffee extract (Coffea canephora) improved the intestinal barrier and slowed colorectal cancer progression and its associated inflammation in rats, PharmaNutrition, 22, 2022.
- Wei, F., Furihata, K., Hu, F., Miyakawa, T., & Tanokura, M. Complex mixture analysis of organic compounds in green coffee bean extract by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry, 48(11), 857–865. 2010.
- Tajik, N., Tajik, M., Mack, I. et al. The potential effects of chlorogenic acid, the main phenolic components in coffee, on health: a comprehensive review of the literature. Eur J Nutr 56, 2215–2244. 2017.
- Bae, J.-H., Park, J.-H., Im, S.-S., & Song, D.-K. Coffee and health. Integrative Medicine Research, 3(4), 189–191. 2014.
Why Does Coffee Have Caffeine? (Coffee’s Secret Weapon)
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