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Abstract: Trigonelline is a major component in coffee seeds and may contribute to the bitter taste of the resultant beverage. To determine the trigonelline biosynthetic pathway in coffee fruits, we investigated the metabolic fate of [carboxyl-14C]nicotinic acid riboside and in situ activity of related enzymes. Exogenously supplied [carboxyl-14C]nicotinic acid riboside was rapidly converted to nicotinic acid mononucleotide and was utilized for NAD synthesis. Nicotinic acid riboside was also used for trigonelline synthesis, but this process took longer than NAD synthesis. These results indicate that an efficient nicotinic acid riboside salvage system functions in coffee fruits, and that trigonelline is synthesized mainly from nicotinic acid produced by the degradation of NAD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]