Physical and sensorial quality of yellow caturra coffee after a carbonic maceration process

Abstract

High prices for differentiated coffees with unique flavor profiles have spurred research into processing methods to standardize coffee production and improve quality. Fermentation is a biotechnological tool that may enhance the sensory profile of coffee and boost its overall quality. Carbonic maceration, which uses constant pressure CO2, can be used as a technique to differentiate coffees. In this study, the physical and sensorial qualities of Coffea arabica (yellow caturra variety) beans, following carbonic maceration, were assessed. The experiment was carried out during the harvest 2021/22 at La Joya farm. Data were analyzed for both the physical quality of the green coffee beans and the cup quality (sensorial) based on the fermentation process and duration using ANOVA, Friedman and U Mann-Whitney tests, with a significance level of alpha = 0.05. All analyses were conducted using SPSS software version 25. The final score was influenced by both carbonic maceration and the duration of fermentation, with scores for zero-day compositions being lower than those for 5, 10 and 15 days. A significant difference in primary defects, based on the duration of fermentation, was observed. In conclusion, carbonic maceration improved both coffee qualities at day 5 compared to day zero (natural process). However, the physical quality is negatively affected after 10 and 15 days, while the sensory quality increases respectively.