Sensory Profile and Chemical Composition of Specialty Coffees from Matas de Minas Gerais, Brazil

The aim of this work was to evaluate the sensory profile of specialty coffees, natural and pulped, from the region of Matas de Minas in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil and correlate the sensory scores with the chemical composition of the grains. Twenty samples of Arabica coffee were assessed (10 Natural and 10 Pulped), as the sensory profile (Cup of Excellence) and sucrose content, bioactive compounds and fatty acids of raw beans. The processed pulped coffees stood out as the final scores. The attributes sweetness, acidity and flavor were important for the distinction of the pulped coffees, while natural coffees the determining attributes were body and acidity. The bioactive compounds and sucrose showed positive and negative correlation with the sensory attributes, respectively. The acids C14:0, C18:2 and C18:3, were relevant to the sensory distinction of natural coffees. The acids C18:0 and C20:2 showed positive correlation, and acids C18:2 and C18:3, negative, with the sensory attributes of the pulped coffees. The specialty coffees of the region of Matas de Minas feature distinct sensory profiles and it is possible to correlate them with the chemical composition of the grains.