Dados do Trabalho

Título

EVALUATION OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL VARIABLES OF PARAÍSO VARIETY COFFEE FERMENTATION IN THE 2022 AND 2023 HARVESTS

Introdução

The Coffea arabica, variety Paraíso MG2, has a high productive capacity with fruits, and when ripe, exhibit a well-developed yellow coloration and uniform ripening. The fermentation process of coffee post-harvest requires quality control to ensure the reproducibility of the sensory profile standard in the beverage. The purpose of this study was to analyze how the fermentation process affects the variables of pH, temperature, and soluble solids in coffees of the Paraíso variety from the Londrina farm of Naimeg Specialty Estate Coffee, harvest years 2022 and 2023.

Material e Métodos

The fruits were harvested, washed, and the natural coffee was fermented in high-density polyethylene bioreactors with capacity of 200 liters per self-induced anaerobiosis fermentation. Fermentations were carried out without the addition of water (solid-state), using an starter culture. The soluble solids content (°Brix), pH, and temperature were measured at the initial time (0 h) and after 72 h of fermentation.

Resultados e Discussão

Initially, the soluble solids content in cherry coffees in 2022 and 2023 were 21.66±2.02 °Brix and 27.80±1.30 °Brix, respectively, indicating greater fruit ripening in 2023. The initial temperature and pH were 22.84±0.06°C and 24.28±0.05°C; 5.04±0.04 and 4.71±0.12, for the years 2022 and 2023, respectively. Temperature control is essential in the fermentation process as it can interfere with microbial activity, fermentation rate, and the formation of volatile compounds. After 72 hours, an increase of 3.36°C in the fermented medium was observed in 2022, and in 2023, the increment was 3.30°C. A drop in pH value was observed, related to the increase in acidity during the process, reaching an average of 4.10±0.04 in 2022 and 3.97±0.04 in 2023. The soluble solids content decreased to values close to 17 for both harvests, with an average of 17.62±0.71 °Brix in 2022 and 17.20±1.30 °Brix in 2023. Despite the difference in maturation of the raw materials observed between 2022 and 2023, by maintaining the conditions and care during fermentation, it was possible to observe the effectiveness and repeatability of the fermentation process, as well as the reduction in soluble solids content and the drop in pH values between time 0 and after 72h.

Conclusão

Even with the difference in maturation in raw materials, observed between the years 2022 and 2023, maintaining the same conditions and care during fermentation, it was possible to observe the effectiveness and repeatability of the fermentation process, as well as the reduction in soluble solids content and drop in pH values between time 0 and 72 hours.