Self-induced anaerobiosis coffee fermentation: Impact on microbial communities, chemical composition and sensory quality of coffee.

Microbial communities associated with coffee fermentation have been widely investigated. However, few reports about self-induced anaerobiosis fermentation (SIAF) on microbial diversity and the chemical and sensory profile of coffees grown under different environmental conditions have been studied. This study evaluated the microbial, chemical, and sensorial profile of the natural and pulped coffee fermented with and without induced anaerobiosis. The microbial diversity was determined by plating and next-generation sequencing, the chemical profile through 1H NMR and chemometrics analysis, and sensory analysis was conducted by Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS). Three hundred and eighty microorganisms were isolated; 149 mesophilic bacteria, 147 lactic acid bacteria, and 84 yeasts. Hanseniaspora uvarum, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Weissella cibaria were identified in Monte Carmelo, Três Pontas, Carmo de Minas, and Lajinha in Minas Gerais, Brazil. New generation sequencing (NGS) analysis identified a high yeast species diversity (74). Some metabolites such as chlorogenic acid, sucrose, lactic acid, and trigonelline were identified in fermented coffees with the joint analysis of NMR and the loadings of PC1. Monte Carmelo coffees processed by the pulped method stood out sensorially showed a higher dominance rate for woody, herbaceous and fruity attributes. The SIAF positively impacts microbial behavior, resulting in coffees with a more intensified fruity attribute.

Diversity of microbiota found in coffee processing wastewater treatment plant.

Cultivable microbiota presents in a coffee semi-dry processing wastewater treatment plant (WTP) was identified. Thirty-two operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected, these being 16 bacteria, 11 yeasts and 4 filamentous fungi. Bacteria dominated the microbial population (11.61 log CFU mL- 1), and presented the highest total diversity index when observed in the WTP aerobic stage (Shannon = 1.94 and Simpson = 0.81). The most frequent bacterial species were Enterobacter asburiae, Sphingobacterium griseoflavum, Chryseobacterium bovis, Serratia marcescens, Corynebacterium flavescens, Acetobacter orientalis and Acetobacter indonesiensis; these showed the largest total bacteria populations in the WTP, with approximately 10 log CFU mL- 1. Yeasts were present at 7 log CFU mL- 1 of viable cells, with Hanseniaspora uvarum, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Saturnispora gosingensis, and Kazachstania gamospora being the prevalent species. Filamentous fungi were found at 6 log CFU mL- 1, with Fusarium oxysporum the most populous species. The identified species have the potential to act as a biological treatment in the WTP, and the application of them for this purpose must be better studied.

Microbiological diversity associated with the spontaneous wet method of coffee fermentation.

The evaluation of the microbiota present during coffee wet fermentation was done in two distinct regions of Minas Gerais, Brazil: one farm in the South of Minas Gerais (Lavras=L) and another farm in the savannah region (Monte Carmelo=MC). The yeast population ranged from 2.48 to 4.92 log CFU/g and from 2 to 4.81 log CFU/g, the mesophilic bacteria population ranged from 3.83 to 8.47 log CFU/g and from 5.37 to 7.36 log CFU/g, and the LAB population ranged from 2.57 to 5.66 log CFU/g and from 3.40 to 4.49 log CFU/g in the L and MC farms, respectively. Meyerozyma caribbica and Hanseniaspora uvarum were the dominant yeasts in coffee wet fermentation at L farm, and Torulaspora delbrueckii was the dominant yeast at MC farm. The species Staphylococcus warneri and Erwinia persicina were the predominant bacteria at L farm, and Enterobacter asburiae and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were the dominant species at MC farm. Lactic acid was the principal acid detected, reaching 2.33 g/kg at L farm and 1.40 g/kg at MC farm by the end of the process. The volatiles composition was similar for roasted coffee from the two different regions and furans, acids, and alcohol were the main groups detected. Temporal Dominance Sensation (TDS) analyses showed that the coffee beverage from L farm was dominated by citrus and herbaceous sensory characteristics, while the coffee from MC farm was dominated by citrus, herbaceous, and nuts sensory characteristics. Evaluating the microbiota in these two regions was important in improving the knowledge of the microbial species present during coffee wet fermentation in Brazil.

Utilization of coffee by-products obtained from semi-washed process for production of value-added compounds.

The semi-dry processing of coffee generates significant amounts of coffee pulp and wastewater. This study evaluated the production of bioethanol and volatile compounds of eight yeast strains cultivated in a mixture of these residues. Hanseniaspora uvarum UFLA CAF76 showed the best fermentation performance; hence it was selected to evaluate different culture medium compositions and inoculum size. The best results were obtained with 12% w/v of coffee pulp, 1 g/L of yeast extract and 0.3 g/L of inoculum. Using these conditions, fermentation in 1 L of medium was carried out, achieving higher ethanol yield, productivity and efficiency with values of 0.48 g/g, 0.55 g/L h and 94.11% respectively. Twenty-one volatile compounds corresponding to higher alcohols, acetates, terpenes, aldehydes and volatile acids were identified by GC-FID. Such results indicate that coffee residues show an excellent potential as substrates for production of value-added compounds. H. uvarum demonstrated high fermentative capacity using these residues.

Spontaneous cocoa bean fermentation carried out in a novel-design stainless steel tank: influence on the dynamics of microbial populations and physical-chemical properties.

Spontaneous cocoa bean fermentations carried out in a novel-design 40-kg-capacity stainless steel tank (SST) was studied in parallel to traditional Brazilian methods of fermentation in wooden boxes (40-kg-capacity wooden boxes (WB1) and 600-kg-capacity wooden boxes (WB2)) using a multiphasic approach that entailed culture-dependent and -independent microbiological analyses of fermenting cocoa bean pulp samples and target metabolite analyses of both cocoa pulp and cotyledons. Both microbiological approaches revealed that the dominant species of major physiological roles were the same for fermentations in SST, relative to boxes. These species consisted of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Hanseniaspora sp. in the yeast group; Lactobacillus fermentum and L. plantarum in the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) group; Acetobacter tropicalis belonging to the acetic acid bacteria (AAB) group; and Bacillus subtilis in the Bacillaceae family. A greater diversity of bacteria and non-Saccharomyces yeasts was observed in box fermentations. Additionally, a potentially novel AAB belonging to the genus Asaia was isolated during fermentation in WB1. Cluster analysis of the rRNA genes-PCR-DGGE profiles revealed a more complex picture of the box samples, indicating that bacterial and yeast ecology were fermentation-specific processes (wooden boxes vs. SST). The profile of carbohydrate consumption and fermentation products in the pulp and beans showed similar trends during both fermentation processes. However, the yeast-AAB-mediated conversion of carbohydrates into ethanol, and subsequent conversion of ethanol into acetic acid, was achieved with greater efficiency in SST, while temperatures were generally higher during fermentation in wooden boxes. With further refinements, the SST model may be useful in designing novel bioreactors for the optimisation of cocoa fermentation with starter cultures.

Pectinolytic enzymes secreted by yeasts from tropical fruits.

Three hundred yeasts isolated from tropical fruits were screened in relation to secretion of pectinases. Twenty-one isolates were able to produce polygalacturonase and among them seven isolates could secrete pectin lyase. None of the isolates was able to secrete pectin methylesterase. The pectinolytic yeasts identified belonged to six different genera. Kluyveromyces wickerhamii isolated from the fruit mangaba (Hancornia speciosa) secreted the highest amount of polygalacturonase, followed by K. marxianus and Stephanoascus smithiae. The yeast Debaryomyces hansenii produced the greatest decrease in viscosity while only 3% of the glycosidic linkages were hydrolysed, indicating that the enzyme secreted was an endo-polygalacturonase. The hydrolysis of pectin by polygalacturonase secreted by S. smithiae suggested an exo-splitting mechanism. The other yeast species studied showed low polygalacturonase activity.