LAUSR

BACKGROUND After the harvest, green coffee beans are dried on the farm using several methods: the wet process, natural process, pulped natural process, or mechanical demucilaging. This study evaluated how the choice of a specific processing method influenced the volatile organic compounds of the coffee beans, before and after roasting, and the sensory characteristics of the beverage. Coffea arabica beans of two varieties (Mundo Novo and Catuai Vermelho) were subjected to these four processing methods on a single farm in the cerrado area of Brazil. RESULTS Analysis by GC-MS HS-SPME identified 40 volatile organic compounds in green coffee beans and 37 in roasted beans. The main difference between post-harvest treatments was that natural processed green beans of both varieties contained a different profile of alcohols, acids, and lactones. In medium-roasted beans, those differences were not observed. The coffee beverages had similar taste attributes but distinct flavor profiles. Some of the treatments resulted in specialty-grade coffee, while others did not. CONCLUSION The choice of a specific post-harvest processing method influences the volatile compounds found in green beans, the final beverage's flavor profile, and the cupping score, which can have a significant impact on the profitability of coffee farms operations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.