Bioassay for Determining the Concentrations of Caffeine and Individual Methylxanthines in Complex Samples
Abstract
Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is the dominant neurostimulant found in coffee, teas, sodas, and energy drinks. Measuring the amount of caffeine and other methylxanthines in these beverages is important for quality assurance and safety in food science. Methylxanthines are also used in medicine and as performance-enhancing drugs, two contexts in which accurately determining their concentrations in bodily fluids is important. Liquid chromatography is the standard method for measuring methylxanthine concentrations in a sample, but it requires specialized equipment and expertise. We improved a previous bioassay that links E. coli growth to methylxanthine demethylation so that it can now be used to determine the amounts of individual methylxanthines in complex mixtures or beverages, such as coffee.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1128/aem.01965-19
Entities
People
- Abigail E. Rex
- Alejandro E. Gutierrez
- Dennis M. Mishler
- Jeffrey E Barrick
- Prachi Shah
- Saamiha P. Kenkare
- Tien C. Nguyen
Organizations
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- National Science Foundation
- University of Texas at Austin