Carotenoids and carotenoid-derived products were identified in green coffee beans of different origins. After extraction with acetone, the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, were identified by HPLC-Diode Array Detection. Glycosidically bound ionols were identified as carotenoid-derived products which are known to be formed by oxidative degradation of lutein and zeaxanthin [1 ]. These glycosides were analysed by absorption on XAD-1180 resin followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of the eluted extract with [3-glucosidase, and by GC-MS analysis of the released aglycones [2].The impact of carotenoids on aroma formation was investigated by using a model roasting system. For this purpose, green coffee beans were depleted of their naturally occurring potential aroma precursors, and subsequently enriched with [3-carotene, a carotenoid similar in structure to lutein and zeaxanthin. Under coffee roasting conditions, [~-carotene yielded the aroma compound, [3-ionone, as its major degradation product [3]. Furthermore, the importance of 3-oxo-a-ionol as an aroma precursor was investigated in the model system.