Abstract

PASIN, Liliana Auxiliadora Avelar Pereira; ABREU, Mário Sobral de  and  SOUZA, Igor Pereira. Influence of the fungi population on the physicochemical and chemical composition of coffee (Coffea arabica L.). Ciênc. Tecnol. Aliment. [online]. 2011, vol.31, n.3, pp. 681-687. ISSN 0101-2061.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0101-20612011000300020.

The influence of fungi associated with coffee fruits was verified regarding the chemical and physicochemical composition of Coffea arabica L. raw grains. The fruits were harvested at EPAMIG Experimental farm in Lavras, State of Minas Gerais - making up the different samples here analyzed. After processing and drying, the grains were incubated in wet chamber for fungal exteriorization through the blotter test method and submitted to the following analyses: polyphenoloxidase, total reducing and non-reducing sugars, clorogenic acid, titrable acidity, potassium leaching, electric conductivity and caffeine. The occurrence of the P. variable, P. rugulosum, P. funiculosum, F. equiseti, F. semitectum, A.alutaceus, A. niger and C. cladosporioides fungi in the different samples was detected. From the analysis of the results obtained, it was observed that the presence of the Aspergillus alutaceus fungus reduces the activity of the enzyme polyphenoloxidase and increases the values of potassium leaching, electric conductivity and chlorogenic acid. The incidence of the Cladosporium cladosporioides fungus influenced the average values of potassium leaching and electric conductivity.

Keywords : fungi incidence; coffee quality; bromatological parameters.