Dual role of 5‐ <scp> <i>O</i> </scp> ‐caffeoylquinic acid in modulating the formation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural and advanced glycation end products

BACKGROUND: Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages globally. Roasting is a crucial processing step for flavor development in coffee beans, but it inevitably generates thermal processing contaminants such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Coffee beans naturally contain high levels of polyphenols, which are widely regarded as effective mitigators of these thermal hazards. However, previous evidence suggests that chlorogenic acids, the predominant polyphenols in green coffee beans, paradoxically exert divergent impacts on the formation of 5-HMF and AGEs during roasting. RESULTS: -carboxyethyllysine (CEL). The findings demonstrated that 5-CQA consistently promoted 5-HMF formation while suppressing the generation of CML and CEL in both roasted coffee beans and a glucose/lysine model system. Mechanistic studies revealed that the pH reduction induced by 5-CQA directed the Amadori rearrangement products toward 1,2-enolization, thereby enhancing the formation of 3-deoxyglucosone, a known precursor of 5-HMF. Concurrently, this shift restricted the production of glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO), which serve as precursors of CML and CEL. Moreover, 5-CQA was found to capture GO and MGO, thereby further inhibiting the generation of CML and CEL. CONCLUSION: This study elucidates the dual role of 5-CQA in modulating the formation of 5-HMF and AGEs, offering a nuanced strategy for targeted mitigation of specific contaminants. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.