May 20/Journal of Technology -- "Coffee bean extract (CBE) was prepared from raw green coffee beans and contained 10.0% caffeine and 27.0% chlorogenic acid. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a diet containing 1% CBE for four weeks," researchers in Nagoya, Japan, report.

"Although there was no difference in food intake between rats fed the control diet without CBE and those fed the CBE-containing diet, body weight gain and white adipose tissue weight were significantly decreased in CBE-fed rats than in control rats. The CBE-fed group exerted a significant and extreme reduction in serum and liver triglyceride concentrations compared to the control group. Also, in the CBE-fed group, activities of fatty acid synthetic enzymes in the hepatic cytosol were significantly decreased, while that of fatty acid oxidative enzymes in the hepatic mitochondria was significantly, increased," wrote K. Tanaka and colleagues, Nagasaki University.

The researchers concluded, "Our results suggest that CBE has potent anti-obesity and hypotriglyceridemic properties, and there is a possibility that these effects are exerted at least in part by the suppression of lipogenesis and the acceleration of lipolysis."

Tanaka and colleagues published their study in Food Science and Technology Research ("Anti-Obesity and Hypotriglyceridemic Properties of Coffee Bean Extract in SD Rats." Food Science and Technology Research

For additional information, contact K. Tanaka, Nagasaki University, Graduate School Human Health Science, 1-1-1 Manabino, Nagoya, Nagasaki 8512195, Japan.

From the May 26, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition