Perfil sensorial e químico de cafés arábica submetidos a diferentes processamentos: influência da face de exposição e altitude

Abstract

The quality of the coffee drink has been increasingly important for consumers of the drink, and consequently, for producers of these beans. The Caparaó Capixaba region is notably a region that produces coffees with distinct sensory profiles and high quality. The interaction of different factors such as the climatic characteristics of the growing region and the processing methods can result in a drink with a unique flavor. The objective of this study was to evaluate and characterize the sensory and chemical profiles of arabica coffees produced in six different environments in the northern region of Caparaó Capixaba (770 SE, 770 S, 950 S, 950 O, 1050 N and 1050 SE), subjected to four post-harvest processing processes (pulped, yeast fermentation, peeled and natural), as well as relationships with climatic conditions depending on the exposure side and the altitude of the crop. The harvest of fruits at the cherry stage (ripe) was carried out manually and selectively. The beans were processed, dried, roasted, ground and then sensory analyzes were carried out based on the quality of the drink, in accordance with the sensory analysis methodology of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). Spectroscopy in the mid-infrared region was used as a complementary technique in order to identify differences in the chemical composition to better understand the possible determinants of the final quality of the drink. The climatic characterization of each experiment was carried out using data on solar radiation, precipitation, maximum and minimum temperatures. The results allow us to conclude that at each altitude evaluated, the highest grades of the drink were obtained in plants grown at 770 SE, 950 O and 1050 SE. However, comparing the six cultivation sites, the highest and lowest scores in the sensory evaluation were obtained from grains produced in the 1050 SE and 770 S environments, respectively. The results obtained in the study also suggest that the climate has a strong influence on the final quality of the coffee drink. The type of processing was not significant for the final quality of the drink, except for the natural treatment at 770 m. Plants at different altitudes associated with climatic conditions produced coffees with different sensory and chemical profiles. Grouping the experiments through principal component analysis was able to form distinct groups compatible with sensory evaluations. Infrared spectroscopy was able to identify chemical differences between the experiments evaluated in this study.