Effect of storage conditions on the chemical and sensory quality of pulped natural coffee

Due to the social and economic importance of specialty coffees, there is a constant effort to develop storage techniques for green coffee beans that effectively preserve the chemical and sensory quality of the product. The objective of this study was to evaluate how the application of cooling along with the use of high-barrier packaging affects the quality of pulped natural coffee over nine months of storage. Commercial pulped coffee beans (Coffea arabica L.) classified as specialty coffee (82 points on the SCA scale) were purchased. They were stored under two environment conditions (controlled cool temperature, and un-controlled ambient conditions) in two packages (one permeable – jute; and the other impermeable – high barrier to gases, light, and water vapor). The sensory and chemical quality of the stored beans was evaluated at the beginning and at six and nine months during storage. The results of sensory analysis indicate that the quality of the samples stored in a refrigerated environment in high-barrier packaging was preserved, and the beans did not exhibit defects after 9 months of storage. Regarding chemical quality of the beans, the high-barrier packaging was able to preserve the fatty acid composition of the green coffee beans, regardless of the storage environment. However, only the refrigerated environment along with this packaging preserved the bioactive compounds of the green coffee beans. The results are promising for creating better storage conditions of the beans, provided by the packaging and/or temperature conditions over time.