Armazenamento de café beneficiado em embalagens herméticas com injeção de CO2

Abstract

Knowledge of new packaging that allows for the storage prolongation of coffee beans preserving their quality is of paramount importance. This study aimed to evaluate the physical, chemical and sensory analysis of green coffee beans (Coffea arabica L.) submitted to different types of packaging, during storage. The coffee was stored in the period from October 2008 to September 2009, in a warehouse of the Storeage and Agriculture Association LTDA (SAAG), in Santana da Vargem in the South of Minas Gerais. The experiment was installed in a completely randomized design in a split time 2x3 factorial design with three replications, and two additional treatments (jute sack and internally coated jute sack). There were two big-bag containers, hermetically coated internally with injection of 60% CO2 (controlled atmosphere) and without CO2 injection (modified atmosphere), three sampling locations (upper, middle and bottom) with five evaluation times. The first sampling was done immediately at the beginning of storage, and the others every 3 months. The packaging of processed coffee beans in hermetic big-bags with modified and controlled atmosphere presented as a viable storage alternative for 12 months. It was observed that the physical, chemical and sensory quality was preserved and the green color of the grains increased. Moreover, even after 12 months of storage, the coffee drink was classified as current crop. The sensory analysis of coffee packaged in a controlled atmosphere showed the highest scores for the middle position, showing that injection of CO2 has a high potential for preservation of sensory quality of coffee beans during storage.