Limited genotypic and geographic variability of 16-O-methylated diterpene content in Coffea arabica green beans.

The acknowledged marker of Robusta coffee, 16-O-methylcafestol (16-OMC), can be quantified by NMR as a mixture with 16-O-methylkahweol (16-OMK), which accounts for approximately 10% of the mixture. In the present study, we detected and quantified 16-O-methylated diterpenes (16-OMD) in 248 samples of green Coffea arabica beans by NMR. We did not observe any differences between genotypes introgressed by chromosomal fragments of Robusta and non-introgressed genotypes. Environmental effects suggesting a possible protective role of 16-OMD for adaptation, as well as genotypic effects that support a high heritability of this trait were observed. Altogether, our data confirmed the presence of 16-OMD in green Arabica at a level approximately 1.5% that of a typical Robusta, endorsing the validity of 16-OMD as a marker for the presence of Robusta.

Combination of 1H NMR and chemometrics to discriminate manuka honey from other floral honey types from Oceania.

Manuka honey is a product produced essentially in New Zealand, and has been widely recognised for its antibacterial properties and specific taste. In this study, 264 honeys from New Zealand and Australia were analysed using proton NMR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics. Known manuka markers, methylglyoxal and dihydroxyacetone, have been characterised and quantified, together with a new NMR marker, identified as being leptosperin. Manuka honey profiling using 1H NMR is shown to be a possible alternative to chromatography with the added advantage that it can measure methylglyoxal (MGO), dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and leptosperin simultaneously. By combining the information from these three markers, we established a model to estimate the proportion of manuka in a given honey. Markers of other botanical origins were also identified, which makes 1H NMR a convenient and efficient tool, complementary to pollen analysis, to control the botanical origin of Oceania honeys.