RELATIONSHIP OF THE TYPE OF FERMENTATION WITH THE PHYSICAL AND CUP QUALITY OF COFFEE

Abstract

The physical quality of the grain and sensory quality of the coffee beverage was evaluated, processed through natural fermentation and variations of it using yeast and mucilage filter (MF) to remove the pulp (mucilage). Cherry coffee (Coffea arabica L.) of the Bourbon variety was used, collected in a selective way and subjected to humid processing. In each of the fermentation treatments, a physical analysis of the grain was carried out, and the sensory profile of the infusion was determined. During the fermentative processes, the pH presented an increase, and total soluble solids decreased. After the wet process of the coffee, in the treatments with yeast at 15% (T4) and FM at 25% (T5), a higher yield of the grain was
obtained. The physical defects of the grain and the sensory profile of the infusion varied in function of the fermentation time between 16 and 15 hours in T5 and T4, and in the latter five hours less were required to complete the fermentation process in contrast to that with natural fermentation (T1), which was 20 hours to eliminate the mucilage. Regarding the global impression of the beverage, the coffee processed with fermentation (T4, T5), presented marks of 83, significantly higher than the marks for coffee subject to treatment T1. These treatments also presented the lowest percentage of grains with defects, which was significant for the beverage quality. With the T4 fermentative process, the complete degradation of the mucilage is achieved in a short time, and it allows obtaining coffee of very good quality