Abstract
Background and Objective: The secondary metabolite profile of Indonesian Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is highly influenced by environmental factors, especially the altitude of the growing location. Arabica coffee by-products, such as cascara, have strong bioactive potential, including antioxidant activity. However, currently, by-products like cascara, which consist of dried pulp and skin, are often neglected as coffee demand increases. The objective of this study was to investigate and compare the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of Arabica coffee cascara (Coffea arabica L.) from two different altitudes in West Java. Materials and Methods: Cascara is obtained from two different regions: Low altitude (Leles, 900-1300 masl) and high altitude (Ibun, 1300-1700 masl). The Soxhlet extraction process was carried out using a stepwise method based on the polarity level of the solvents (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol). The antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH and phytochemical standardization was carried out in the form of Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) and caffeine content. Findings were expressed as Mean±SD and analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA-Tukey (pResults: Cascara extract from Leles shows higher TPC, TFC, caffeine content and antioxidant activity compared to extract from Ibun. Ethanol extract from Leles shows a strong category of antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 35.74 μg/mL. The results of statistical data processing showed the altitude influenced on the content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, caffeine and antioxidant activity. Conclusion: The results indicate that the higher total phenols, total flavonoids and caffeine in Arabica cascara extract can be attributed to the lower altitude of the Arabica coffee growing areas in West Java. The antioxidant activity is influenced by the concentrations of these bioactive compounds.