Organic acids produced during fermentation and sensory perception in specialty coffee using yeast starter culture

Volatile and non-volatile compounds in coffee directly affect the beverage's quality. This study aimed to demonstrate how the organic acids and volatile profiles were impacted by coffee fermentation using four starter cultures (Meyerozyma caribbica (CCMA 0198), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CCMA 0543), Candida parapsilosis (CCMA0544), and Torulaspora delbrueckii (CCMA 0684)) inoculated in two varieties of coffee (Bourbon Amarelo and Canário Amarelo) using natural and pulped natural processing methods and sensory perception. Real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to verify the dynamic behavior of yeast populations. Organic acids were detected using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used to detected volatile compounds. Sensory analysis was performed on the roasted coffee. Citric, malic, succinic, lactic, oxalic, isobutyric, and propionic acids and 105 volatile compounds were detected. At the beginning of fermentation, treatments with natural processing presented higher number of volatiles compounds. After fermentation, the main compounds groups were acids, alcohols, and aldehydes. The perception of sensory attribute (fruity, nutty, cocoa) varied with the coffee variety, type of processing, and type of inoculum. The use of yeasts is an alternative for sensorial differentiation of coffee variety Canário Amarelo and Bourbon Amarelo. The stainless-steel containers showed good results for coffee fermentation.