Desenvolvimento de cenários utilizando um sistema de apoio à decisão para análise de custos da fase de pós-colheita do café

The choice of method of processing coffee is decisive on the profitability of the coffee activity, and will depend on several factors. Thus, due to the existence of many variables is common producer ask about the viability of certain types of processing. Thus, the objective of this study was to detail the proposed processing alternative to two farms more profitable. Forty-six farms in the regions of the Cerrado, Matas de Minas and southern of Minas Gerais state answered a questionnaire in order to enable this analysis. By employing the decision support system for the calculation of the coffee postharvest cost , it was  found that 21 farms with original dry processing gain between R$26.5780 and R$ 35.9039 per bag of coffee produced if they chose the alternative wet processing . As for the 25 farms with original wet processing lose from R$1.28291 and R$ 7.26029 per bag of coffee produced, if they chose the alternative splicing via dry.A escolha do modo de processamento do café é decisiva na rentabilidade da atividade cafeeira, e dependerá de diversos fatores. Assim, em decorrência da existência de tantas variáveis é comum produtor questionar a viabilidade de determinados tipos de processamentos.Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, detalhar a proposta de processamentos alternativos mais rentáveis para duas fazendas. Quarenta e seis fazendas das regiões do Cerrado, Matas de Minas e Sul de Minas Gerais responderam a um questionário elaborado no sentido possibilitar esta análise. Ao empregar o sistema de apoio à decisão para o cálculo do custo da pós-colheita do café, ficou constatado que as 21 fazendas, com processamento original via seca, ganhariam entre R$26,5780 e R$ 35,9039 por saca de café produzido, caso optassem pelo processamento alternativo via úmida. Já as 25 fazendas com processamento original via úmida perderiam entre R$1,28291 e R$ 7,26029 por saca de café produzido, caso optassem pelo processamento alternativo via seca

Pós-Café: um sistema de apoio a decisão para o cálculo do custo da pós-colheita do café

Various computer programs were developed to calculate the cost of the coffee harvest. However, few address the costs of coffee in its post-harvest stage. This study was aimed to develop a system for calculating the cost of the coffee postharvest to facilitate decision making regarding the most cost-effective post-harvest processes. Thirty-four farmers in southern Minas Gerais state answered a questionnaire designed to validate this system. The use of a decision support system showed that the simulated costs in the post-harvest stage were not statistically different from the costs informed by the representatives of the selected farms.Vários programas computacionais foram desenvolvidos para calcular o custo da colheita do café. No entanto, poucos abordam os custos da fase de pós-colheita do café. Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, desenvolver um sistema de cálculo do custo da pós-colheita do café para facilitar a tomada de decisão quanto aos processamentos de melhor custo-benefício. Trinta e quatro fazendas do sul de Minas Gerais responderam a um questionário elaborado para validar esse sistema. Ao empregar o sistema de apoio à decisão, foi constatado que os custos simulados na fase de pós-colheita não diferem estatisticamente dos custos informados pelos responsáveis das fazendas entrevistadas

Efeito das condições de secagem e armazenamento sobre a qualidade do café natural e despolpado

The objective of the work was to evaluate alterations in the quality of natural and washed coffee under different drying conditions (coffee drying yard, temperature of 40ºC and 60ºC) and storage conditions at 60% of relative humidity, with controlled temperature of 23ºC, at 90 and 180 days. The work was carried out in the Engineering Department and in the Coffee Post-Harvest Technology Pole of the Federal University of Lavras. The manual harvest of the coffee (Coffea arabica L.), Topázio variety, was selective. Part of the coffee was pulped and the other part was processed in the natural form. A portion of each type of coffee was submitted to drying on the yard and two other samples were processed in a mechanical dryer, at temperatures of 40ºC and 60ºC. After drying, the coffee was stored in an air-tight room, in which a stable relative humidity of 60% was maintained with a solution of magnesium nitrate. Quality evaluation, sensorial analyses, electric conductivity and potassium leaching tests, total titrable acidity, fatty acidity and total and reducing sugars determinations were carried out. The results showed that the coffee dried at 60ºC, after 90 days storage, presented the poorest quality. The physical-chemical evaluations of the drying and storage conditions showed that washed coffee presents better quality when compared to the product in its natural form.Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho avaliar as alterações na qualidade dos cafés natural e despolpado nas condições de secagem (terreiro, temperatura de 40ºC e 60ºC) e armazenamento de 60% de umidade relativa com temperatura controlada de 23ºC, aos 90 e 180 dias. O trabalho foi realizado no Departamento de Engenharia e no Pólo de Tecnologia em Pós-Colheita do Café da Universidade Federal de Lavras. A colheita manual do café (Coffea arabica L), variedade Topázio, foi seletiva. Parte do café foi despolpado e outra parte, processada de forma natural. Uma parcela de cada tipo de café foi submetida à secagem em terreiro e as outras duas, às temperaturas de 40ºC e 60ºC em secador mecânico. Depois da secagem, o café foi armazenado em ambiente hermético, mantendo-se constante a umidade relativa de 60%, com solução de nitrato de magnésio. Para avaliação da qualidade, foram realizados análise sensorial, testes de condutividade elétrica e lixiviação de potássio, determinações de acidez titulável total, acidez graxa, açúcares totais e redutores. Pelos resultados obtidos, conclui-se que os cafés submetidos à secagem com temperatura de 60ºC e armazenados a partir de 90 dias apresentaram as piores características de qualidade; as avaliações físico-químicas para as condições de secagem e armazenamento mostram que o café despolpado apresentou melhor qualidade, quando comparado com o produto na sua forma natural

Análise comparativa da infraestrutura de processamento utilizando um sistema de apoio à decisão para o cálculo de custos da fase de pós-colheita do café

The infrastructure sizing for processing the coffee is decisive in the profitability of coffee, and will depend onseveral factors. Thus, due to the existence of so many variables it is common to underestimate or overestimate producer aspects of infrastructure. The objective of this work related to the area of yard aspects of infrastructure and capacity of the dryers farms was analyzed in the post-harvest coffee. Forty-six farms in the regions of the Cerrado, Matas de Minas and southern Minas Gerais answered a questionnaire in order to enable this analysis. By employing the decision support system for calculating the cost of post harvest coffee, these farms was found to overestimate the area of the yard and correctly estimate the capacity of the dryers.O dimensionamento da infraestrutura necessária para o processamento do café é decisivo na rentabilidade da atividade cafeeira, e dependerá de diversos fatores. Assim, em decorrência da existência de tantas variáveis é comum o produtor subestimar ou superestimar aspectos de infraestrutura. Desse modo, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar dois aspectos de infraestrutura de fazendas na fase de pós-colheita do café. Quarenta e seis fazendas das regiões do Cerrado, Matas de Minas e Sul de Minas Gerais responderam a um questionário elaborado no sentido possibilitar esta análise. Ao empregar o sistema de apoio à decisão para o cálculo do custo da pós-colheita do café, ficou constatado que estas fazendas superestimam a área de terreiro e estimam corretamente à capacidade dos secadores

Estatística multivariada aplicada em dados de custos da fase de pós-colheita do café

The choice of method of processing coffee is decisive on the profitability of the coffee activity, and will depend on several factors. Thus, due to the existence of many variables is common producer to question the viability of certain types of processing. Thus, the objective in this research was carried out a study of the major influencing factors on the cost of post-harvest coffee. Forty-six farms in the regions of the Cerrado, Matas de Minas and southern Minas Gerais State answered a questionnaire in order to enable this analysis. The application of multivariate techniques of cluster analysis, factor analysis and principal component analysis, allowed us to conclude that farms with higher costs simulated were those with the highest percentages of wet coffee production.A escolha do modo de processamento do café é decisiva na rentabilidade da atividade cafeeira, e dependerá de diversos fatores. Assim, em decorrência da existência de tantas variáveis é comum o produtor questionar a viabilidade de determinados tipos de processamentos. Desse modo, o objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um estudo dos principais fatores influenciadores no custo da pós-colheita do café. Quarenta e seis fazendas das regiões do Cerrado, Matas de Minas e Sul de Minas Gerais responderam a um questionário elaborado no sentido de possibilitar esta análise. A aplicação das técnicas multivariadas de análise de agrupamento, análise de fatores e análise de componentes principais, possibilitou concluir que as fazendas com maiores custos simulados foram as que possuíam as maiores porcentagens de produção de café via úmida

Alterações químicas do café-cereja descascado durante o armazenamento

The objective of this work was to evaluate chemical alterations of parchment coffee during storage under different conditions. Sampling for analysis was done on five different occasions. The first sample was taken immediately after storage and the others in 90-day intervals. Impermeable packages (nylon sacks, nylon sacks with 40% of CO2 and foil vacuum packs) prolonged storage time, preserving the coffee’s quality in the conditions of the experiment for its entire duration. The coffee (Coffea arabica L.) conditioned in permeable packaging (jute and jute sacks with ground coffee shells) presented chemical alterations, which depreciated its quality.Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar as alterações químicas no café-cereja descascado durante o armazenamento, sob diferentes tipos de acondicionamentos. As amostragens para a realização de análises foram tomadas em cinco ocasiões. A primeira foi feita imediatamente no início da armazenagem, e as demais, com intervalo de 90 dias. Os acondicionamentos em embalagens impermeáveis (sacos de náilon, sacos de náilon com 40% de CO2 e sacos aluminizados a vácuo) apresentaram capacidade de prolongar o tempo de armazenamento do café, preservando a sua qualidade, na duração e nas condições do experimento. Os cafés acondicionados em embalagens permeáveis (sacos de juta e sacos de juta com casca picada de café) apresentaram alterações químicas que depreciaram a qualidade do café

Influência da secagem, em diferentes tipos de terreiro, sobre a qualidade do café ao longo do armazenamento

Physicochemical and sensorial alterations during storage of coffee berries submitted to different processing and drying methods was investigated. The treatments consisted of four types of berries preparation (“roça”, husked berry, berry + green, and floats), three types of drying terraces (concrete, rutty ground and asphalt mud), and two berry drying layer thickness on terraces (thin and thick), in a complete randomized design and a 4 x 3 x 2 factorial scheme. in four storage duration periods. Two replicates per treatment were used. After drying of the berries, the experimental units were split in four, packed into jute bags, and placed into wooden boxes inside a storehouse filled with coco coffee. Treatments were stored for one year. Sampling was accomplished at 4-month internvals but the first one, which was done right after drying of the berries. For evaluation of quality, the following analyses were accomplished: potassium leaching, electric conductivity, total sugars, cup test and counts of black, green and bitter, and black green defects. The results indicate that drying in thick layer has the greatest influence in quality loss during storage, among the factors investigated. It was also found that berries dried on earthen terrace influenced negatively their storability; on the other hand, when the drying process was made on asphalt mud and concrete terraces, no influence was detected on the quality of coffee during storage.Neste trabalho, objetivou-se investigar as alterações físico-químicas, químicas e sensoriais durante o armazenamento de cafés submetidos a diferentes métodos de processamento e secagem. O delineamento experimental consistiu de um DIC com os tratamentos dispostos em fatorial 4x3x2 com parcelas subdivididas no tempo, sendo quatro formas de processamento do café (roça, cereja descascado, cereja + verde e bóia), três tipos de terreiro (terreiro de concreto, chão batido e lama asfáltica) e duas espessuras de camada de secagem do café (fina e grossa) e quatro tempos de armazenamento. Foram utilizadas duas repetições para cada tratamento. Após a secagem, as unidades experimentais foram divididas para os quatro tempos, acondicionadas em saco de juta e colocadas em uma caixa confeccionada de madeira localizada dentro de uma tulha cheia de café em coco. Os tratamentos foram armazenados por um ano. A primeira amostragem foi realizada logo após a secagem; a segunda, no quarto mês; a terceira, no oitavo mês; e a ultima amostragem no décimo-segundo mês de armazenamento. Para avaliação da composição química e física, foram realizadas as seguintes análises: lixiviação de potássio, condutividade elétrica, açúcares totais, prova de xícara e contagem de defeitos preto, verde e ardido e preto verde. Pelos resultados, verificou-se que, entre os fatores estudados, a secagem em camada grossa é a que mais influencia a perda de qualidade durante o armazenamento. Observou-se também que os cafés secados em terreiro de terra influenciaram negativamente a sua armazenabilidade; por outro lado, as secagens realizadas em terreiros de lama asfáltica e concreto não exerceram influência na perda de qualidade do café, ao longo do armazenamento

QUALITY OF NATURAL COFFEE DRIED UNDER DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES AND DRYING RATES

The final quality of coffees depends on the preservation of the cell membranes of the coffee beans, which can be damaged during the drying. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the immediate and latent effects of the air temperature and drying rate on the sensorial quality of natural coffees, as well as its relationship with the chemical e physiological characteristics of the coffee beans. Mature fruits of arabica coffee were harvested and sundried to moisture content of approximately 35% (wb) and then moved into a mechanical drier under different conditions of drying. This process involved the combination of three dry bulb temperatures – DBT (35°C, 40°C, and 45°C) and two dew point temperatures – DPT (2.6°C and 16.2°C). Thus, the relative humidity of the air used for drying was a dependent variable of DTB and DPT, and as consequences, different drying rates were achieved for each DBT. The increase in the drying rate for the temperatures 35°C and 40°C has a negative effect on the final quality of natural coffee beans. However, for the temperature of 45°C, the effects of the drying rate on the coffee beans are overlaid by the thermal damages that are caused at this level of heating. Higher sensory scores for coffee are linked to lower values of electrical conductivity and potassium leaching of the exudate of the coffee beans, as well as lower values of fatty acids. It is emphasized that while the temperature of 35º C is recommended for the production of specialty coffees the temperature of 45º C is not

Sensory analysis and chemical composition of ‘bourbon’ coffees cultivated in different environments

Given the growing participation and appreciation of specialty coffees in the international market, coupled to the intrinsic quality of cultivar Bourbon for the production of differentiated coffees and the environmental diversity of Brazil, this study was conducted, with the objective to evaluate how the interaction between ‘Bourbon’ genotypes and different environments affect the sensory quality of coffees, besides relating the chemical composition (trigoneline, 5-CQA and caffeine) of beans with their sensory profile. Four Arabica coffee genotypes were evaluated: one of them is widely grown in Brazil (Mundo Novo) and three belong to the group of cultivar Bourbon. The genotypes were evaluated in a field experiment, in Lavras, MG; Santo Antônio do Amparo, MG and São Sebastião da Grama, SP. Thelatter was the most promising environment for the production of specialty coffees. Genotypes Yellow Bourbon IAC J9 and Yellow Bourbon/SSP were the most suitable for the production of specialty coffees. Regardless of culture environment, the genotype Yellow Bourbon/CM is not suitable for the production of specialty coffees. Caffeine content enabled coffee differentiation regarding beverage quality. Coffees with superior quality have lower caffeine contents. The content of 5-CQAallowed to differentiate environments

Intensive Computational Method Applied for Assessing Specialty Coffees by Trained and Untrained Consumers

The sensory analysis of coffees assumes that a sensory panel is formed by tasters trained according to the recommendations of the American Specialty Coffee Association. However, the choice that routinely determines the preference of a coffee is made through experimentation with consumers, in which, for the most part, they have no specific ability in relation to sensory characteristics. Considering that untrained consumers or those with basic knowledge regarding the quality of specialty coffees have little ability to discriminate between different sensory attributes, it is reasonable to admit the highest score given by a taster. Given this fact, probabilistic studies considering appropriate probability distributions are necessary. To access the uncertainty inherent in the notes given by the tasters, resampling methods such as Monte Carlo’s can be considered and when there is no knowledge about the distribution of a given statistic, p-Bootstrap confidence intervals become a viable alternative. This text will bring considerations about the use of the non-parametric resampling method by Bootstrap with application in sensory analysis, using probability distributions related to the maximum scores of tasters and accessing the most frequent region (mode) through computational resampling methods