TANNINS IN WET-PROCESSED COFFEE BEANS AND COFFEE PULP

The tannins contents have been investigated in five samples of beans and the associated pulp, derived from two species of coffee and two associated hybrids. Tannins were not found in any bean sample, and in contrast to previous reports, hydrolysable tannins sensu strictu were not detected in pulp. The presence of soluble condensed tannins in Coffea arabica pulp was confirmed at approximately 1% db. Similar levels were found in pulp from Timor hybrid and Catimor, but Coffea canephora pulp yielded almost-equal-to 2.7% db. In all cases prodelphinidins exceeded procyanidins, but the ratio varied from 2.2 to 6.0:1. Evidence was obtained also for significant amounts of insoluble condensed tannins, but reliable quantification was not possible with the analytical methods currently available.