EFEITO DE DIFERENTES MÉTODOS DE SECAGEM EM Coffea canephora PRODUZIDO EM DIFERENTES ALTITUDES NO ESTADO DO ESPÍRITO SANTO

Abstract

Brazil is a reference in the coffee sector, with a high contribution from the State of Espírito Santo (ES), which stands out as the main producer of conilon (Coffea canephora) in the country. After processing, coffee is characterized by its quality, which is influenced by several factors and directly interferes with the possibility of adding value to the product. Most of the determinants of quality are associated with the processes of harvesting, processing, drying and storage. Thus, the objective of the present work was to evaluate the relationship between the main drying processes used for conilon coffee and its final quality. Were used samples of grains dry in a common terrace (TC), a suspended cement terrace covered with greenhouse (TS) and a rotary dryer by the direct method (S). The sensory analysis was carried out through tasting by specialized judges and the chemical quality was assessed through the analysis of humidity, pH, titratable acidity and electric conductivity. The samples showed a significant difference between the different drying methods used for all evaluated parameters. It was not possible to identify a single drying method that promoted samples with superior quality parameters, indicating, therefore, that the use of good quality raw material, combined with adequate post-harvest handling and processing, provide final products within the quality standards, regardless of the drying method used.