UV Spectrophotometric Method for Estimation of Caffeic Acid in Food Samples

Caffeic acid, a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound with notable antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, is found in a wide range of plant-based foods and beverages. This study aimed to develop and validate a UV spectrophotometric method for the quantitative estimation of caffeic acid and apply it to various food samples, including coffee, clove, cinnamon, kokum, and Tamarind. A calibration curve was constructed using standard solutions of caffeic acid measured at 325 nm, and the method was validated according to ICH and other regulatory guidelines for parameters such as linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). The method exhibited excellent linearity, precision (%RSD < 1%), and recovery (95.8–105.5%). Further, extraction efficiency was compared under different conditions—boiling, warm water incubation, and cold soaking—revealing that boiling led to the highest extraction of caffeic acid. Coffee showed the highest content among all samples. The validated method proves to be simple, cost-effective, and suitable for routine caffeic acid analysis in food matrices.