Effect of Cold Brew Coffee Storage in Industrial Production on the Physical-Chemical Characteristics of Final Product

The purpose of this article is to present information about changes in physical properties (pH, TA, and color) and chemical components with bioactive activity in cold brew coffee beverages, during storage before and after HTST processing. Coffee samples were tested using industrial technology (12,000 bottles per batch). The antioxidant activity of the samples was analyzed using ABTS and FRAP methods, the concentration of polyphenols was determined using the UPLC-MS chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry method, and microbiological tests were performed according to PN-ISO/PN-EN ISO standards. The pH value decreased during coffee storage, and the color changed significantly in brightness. Polyphenol concentrations were calculated in the range of 1800 to almost 3400 mg/L, and the antioxidant capacity for ABTS and FRAP reached the ranges of the results successively: 123–195 µMol/100 mL and 158–212 µMol/100 mL. It was observed that HTST pasteurization has a beneficial effect on preserving the beverage in microbiological terms. Also, a positive effect of the process on the release of chemical components responsible for bioactive properties from the beverage was observed, followed by a reduction in antioxidant activity during the first 90 days of storage and between 180 and 270 days during storage.