A PRELIMINARY STUDY AND FIRST REPORT ON CAFFEINE DEGRADING BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM THE SOILS OF CHITTOOR AND VELLORE

Abstract

An attempt on basic study of the caffeine degrading organism and screening of potential ‘caffeinase’ producing bacteria has been studied and reported. Caffeine is present in soft drinks, coffee plants, tea leaves, and kola nuts and is used extensively in human consumption. Various health and environmental demerits makes it significant to reduce the levels of caffeine into a much less harmful compound, which can be done biologically using specific microorganisms. The enzyme responsible for caffeine degradation plays a major role and hence needs to be studied for caffeinase isolation and improvement of available caffeine products. Isolation of such microorganisms and their study of extent of caffeine degradation would prove to be helpful in generating an economic and safer method of caffeine removal in food products and coffee left over which could be less harmful to human health and the environment.