Mapping the potential beverage quality of coffee produced in the Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais, Brazil

• Published in: Journal of the science of food and agriculture Vol. 96; no. 9; pp. 3098 - 3108
• Main Authors: Silva, Samuel de Assis, de Queiroz, Daniel Marçal, Ferreira, Williams Pinto Marques, Corrêa, Paulo Cesar, Rufino, José Luis dos Santos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01-07-2016; John Wiley and Sons, Limited
• Subjects: Agriculture - methods; Altitude; Analysis of Variance; aspect; Beverages; Beverages - analysis; Beverages - standards; Brazil; Catuai; Coffea - anatomy & histology; Coffea - chemistry; Coffea - classification; Coffea arabica L; Coffee; Coffee - chemistry; Coffee - classification; Coffee - standards; Crop science; cup quality; Food Quality; Foods; Geographic Mapping; Optimization; Quality; Quality Control; Slopes; spatial variability; Taste; Terrain; Brazil, Minas Gerais; Coffea arabica L; Catuai; cup quality; spatial variability; aspect
• ISSN: 0022-5142; 1097-0010
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.7485

BACKGROUND
Detailed knowledge of coffee production systems enables optimization of crop management, harvesting and post‐harvest techniques. In this study, coffee quality is mapped as a function of coffee variety, altitude and terrain aspect attributes. The work was performed in the Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
RESULTS
A large range of coffee quality grades was observed for the Red Catuai variety. For the Yellow Catuai variety, no quality grades lower than 70 were observed. Regarding the terrain aspect, samples from the southeast‐facing slope (SEFS) and the northwest‐facing slope (NWFS) exhibited distinct behaviors. The SEFS samples had a greater range of quality grades than did the NWFS samples. The highest grade was obtained from an NWFS point. The lowest quality values and the largest range of grades were observed at lower altitudes. The extracts from the highest‐altitude samples did not produce any low‐quality coffee.
CONCLUSIONS
The production site's position and altitude are the primary variables that influenced the coffee quality. The study area has micro‐regions with grades ranging from 80 to 94. These areas have the potential for producing specialty coffees. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry