Pea protein-coffee chlorogenic acid complex regulates the gut microbiota: In vitro simulation and fecal fermentation studies.

The key active component in coffee is chlorogenic acid (CGA). The content of CGA is strongly affected by the degree of roasting, and CGA is unstable during gastrointestinal digestion, resulting in poor bioaccessibility. Light-roasted coffee was selected for subsequent experiments through in vitro simulation and fermentation studies. To increase the stability of CGA during digestion, pea protein was selected to embed CGA from light-roasted coffee, and the structure, embedding effect, photothermal stability, and antioxidant capacity of the complex were evaluated. In vitro digestion found that after combining with pea protein, the release rate of CGA increased from 28.61% to 37.81% in the intestinal digestion stage. According to in vitro fermentation results, following 24 h of fermentation, the complex system of pea protein and CGA had better microbiota regulation ability than CGA alone. This study also provides a theoretical basis for developing coffee plant-based protein drinks.