Preliminary microbial ecological studies in Rio-taste coffee beans

The microbial ecology of these beans was examined in order to investigate first if some of the microorganisms present could be responsible for the anisol off-flavours and secondly to improve the knowledge of the microbial ecology of these beans, so far very litte studied. Typical "rio-taste" samples from five different areas, ex: Brasil, Puerto Rico and Central Republic of Africa, were examined for their microbial flora in comparison with a control sample from a typical "non rio-taste" area in Santos Brasil. The results indicated that the presence of lactic bacteria was not significant, because the same species were identified in "rio" and "non rio-taste" beans. Two groups were found to be present in all beans: the Lactobacilly and the Streptococci. All the isolated Lactobacilli strains were homofermentative, mesophilic with the potential to grow at 15 grade centigrade. The Lactobacillis present in the control sample had as the dominant flora, species highly similar to Lactobacillis maltaromicus and Lactobacillus amylophilus, ribose fermenting and nonfermenting respectively and producing L lactic acid. The same species were also dominant in "rio-taste" coffee beans. Concerning the Streptococci group, the following species were found in the control sample and in the "rio-taste" beans: Strep. faecium, Strep. thermophilus, Strep. lactis and Strep. faecalis. In most of the samples the species Strep. faecium was dominant. It seems therefore that the lactic acid bacteria are not the "Key flora" in these beans which could justify the particular "anisol flavours". Furthermore, this would not be expected due to an overall lack of metabolic diversity. However, the mould flora was different in the "rio-taste" beans to that found in the control sample. Aspergillus fumigatus was found exclusively in all "rio-taste" beans but not in the control sample

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	127385 Vanos, N., 3180 Association Scientifique Internationale du Café, París (Francia), 32077 12. International Scientific Colloquium on Coffee Montreal (Canadá) 29 Jun - 3 Jul 1987
Format:	biblioteca
Published:	París (Francia) 1988
Subjects:	CAFE RIO, FLORA MICROBIANA, MICROORGANISMOS, MOHO, CALIDAD, BRASIL, PUERTO RICO, REPUBLICA CENTROAFRICANA,
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