The Use of Solid State NMR to Evaluate the Carbohydrates in Commercial Coffee Granules

Coffee brings many health benefits due to its chemical constituents. Based on this information, it is essential to know the main chemical compounds from coffee granules; the intermolecular interaction among the coffees compounds and the molecular components homogeneity. In this study six types of roasted commercial coffee were evaluated by solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), employing carbon-13 (C) and hydrogen (H) nucleus. Carbon-13 was analyzed applying high field NMR techniques, such as: magic angle spinning (MAS); magic angle spinning with cross-polarization (CPMAS) and magic angle spinning with cross-polarization and dipolar dephasing (CPMASDD). The hydrogen was evaluated via relaxation times. Proton spin-lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame was determined through the carbon-13 decay, during the variable contact-time experiment, using high field NMR. Proton spin-lattice relaxation time was determined through the inversion-recovery pulse sequence, using low field NMR. Considering all NMR results, it was concluded that the major coffee compounds are: 1) triacilglycerides, which constitute the mobile region in the granule coffee and 2) Carbohydrates such as: polysaccharides and fibers that belong to the rigid domain. These constituents belong to different molecular mobility domain, although they have strong intermolecular interactions due to the granule organization.