Qualidade do café secado em terreiros com diferentes pavimentações e espessuras de camada

The present work aimed to evaluate the quality of coffee submitted to drying on grounds with different surfaces andthickness layers of grains, at Universidade Federal de Lavras, in July 2006. This experiment was carried out in a completelyrandomized design, factorial scheme 4x3x2, with four forms of coffee processing (mixture coffee, parchment coffee, cherry and unripeand floater), three types of grounds (earth, concrete and asphalt byproduct) and two thicknesses for coffee drying (thin and thick),amounting to 24 treatments. Two replicates per each treatment were utilized, amounting to 48 experimental units. About 15000 litersof coffee were picked over a cloth and dried on the different surfaces. Out of this total, 2400 liters were spread directly to the surfacesfor drying (mixture coffee). About 4800 liters were washed and separated by density difference. The portion floater and the portioncherry and unripe were dried separately on the surfaces. Finally, 9600 liters of coffee were washed, husked and dried on the surfaces.The coffee was turned 16 times a day by following the sun’s movement. After drying, samples of the coffees were taken, processed andsubmitted to evaluation of quality through the following analyses: sensorial and physical chemical analysis, Phenolic compounds,total titrable acidity, total solids, electrical conductivity, leaching of potassium, reducers and non reducers and total sugars. The resultsindicate that the type of coffee and the thickness layers have make strong influence in the chemistry and physical-chemistry characteristicsof coffee, and the sensorial analysis shows that the washed coffee dried in thin layers on concrete and asphalt surfaces provide betterbeverage quality.Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, avaliar a qualidade do café submetido à secagem em terreiros, com diferentes pavimentaçõese espessuras de camadas de secagem de grãos. O delineamento experimental constituiu-se em um DIC, com os tratamentos dispostosem esquema fatorial 4x3x2 sendo quatro as formas de processamento do café (roça, cereja descascado, cereja + verde e bóia),em trêstipos de terreiro (terreiro de terra, concreto e lama asfáltica) e duas espessuras de camada de secagem do café (fina e grossa),totalizando 24 tratamentos. Foram utilizadas duas repetições para cada tratamento, totalizando 48 unidades experimentais. Cerca de15000 litros de café foram colhidos sobre pano e secados nos diferentes terreiros. Desse total, 2400 litros foram levados diretamenteaos terreiros para secagem (café roça). Cerca de 4800 litros foram lavados e separados por diferença de densidade. A porção bóia e aporção cereja e verde foram secadas separadamente nos terreiros. Finalmente, 9600 litros de café foram lavados, descascados e secadosnos terreiros.Aí, os cafés foram revolvidos 16 vezes ao dia. Após a secagem, amostras de café foram beneficiadas e submetidas àavaliação da qualidade por meio das seguintes análises: sensorial, compostos fenólicos, acidez titulável total, sólidos solúveis,condutividade elétrica, lixiviação de potássio e açúcares totais, redutores e não redutores. Os resultados indicam que o tipo de café, otipo de terreiro e a espessura da camada de secagem exercem forte influência nas características químicas, físico-químicas e sensoriaisdo café. A secagem do café cereja descascado em camada fina, tanto em terreiro de concreto como de lama asfáltica, proporciona melhorqualidade de bebida que os demais tratamentos

Effect of storage conditions on the physical properties of coffee beans with different qualities

The quality of coffee starts in the field, and goes through the harvesting and post-harvesting processes, and continues to storage and transportation. The storage of coffee beans aims to stock a product for a certain period of time. However, factors such as quality and metabolism of the grain, water content, environmental conditions of the warehouse, type of packaging, and storage time influence the maintenance of these characteristics, and may negatively affect sensory aspects of the beverage. The use of high-barrier packaging or refrigerated storage practices are alternatives that can ensure grain quality during storage. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the behavior of raw coffee beans, of different processing and quality levels, packed in impermeable packages and stored in a refrigerated environment. The specialty coffees were previously sampled and characterized as to the drink, with two lots (one of natural coffee and the other of pulped natural coffee) evaluated with a score of 82 points, and another lot of natural coffee evaluated with a score of 84 points. They were packed in two types of packaging: moisture and gas permeable, and gas, moisture, and light impermeable. The beans were stored in ambient conditions without temperature control and in refrigerated environments. The CO2 concentration inside the packaging was measured, and the physical analyses – water content, color, and apparent specific mass – were performed. According to the results there is less variation in the water content and coloration of the grains stored in high barrier packages. The storage of the beans in refrigerated condition and in high barrier packing is efficient in the retarding of the loss of quality of the coffees during the nine months of the experimen

Discrimination of production environments of specialty coffees by means of stable isotopes and discriminant model

The south of Minas Gerais, Brazil stands out among various regions through its capacity for production of specialty coffees. Its potential, manifested through being one of the most award-winning Brazilian regions in recent years, has been recognized by the Cup of Excellence (COE). With the evident relationship between product quality and the environment in mind, the need arises for scientific studies to provide a foundation for discrimination of product origin, creating new methods for combating possible fraud. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in discrimination of production environments of specialty coffees from the Serra da Mantiqueira of Minas Gerais by means of the discriminant model. Coffee samples were composed of ripe yellow and red fruits collected manually at altitudes below 1,000 m, from 1,000 to 1,200 m and above 1,200 m. The yellow and red fruits were subjected to dry processing and wet processing, with five replications. A total of 119 samples were used for discrimination of specialty coffee production environments by means of stable isotopes and statistical modeling. The model generated had an accuracy rate of 89% in discrimination of environments and was composed of the isotope variables of δ15N, δ13C, %C, %N, δD, δ18O (meteoric water) and sensory analysis scores. In addition, for the first time, discrimination of environments on a local geographic scale, within a single municipality, was proposed and successfully concluded. This shows that isotope analysis is an effective method in verifying geographic origin for specialty coffees