Evaluation of the sensory and color quality of coffee beans stored in hermetic packaging

The objective this study was to commercially validate the effects of an artificial atmosphere on the color, flavor and aroma of green coffee beans stored after 12 months. The coffees were evaluated by a sensory panel composed of 13 tasters who were judges certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America and who operate commercially in various coffee-producing regions of Brazil. The evaluation consisted of a 2 x 2 factorial design with three replicates, two storage conditions (hermetic big-bags with and without CO2 injection, i.e., a modified atmosphere and a controlled atmosphere, respectively) and two sampling positions (upper and medium). Two additional treatments were studied as controls: jute sacks and GrainPro sacks. The beans were qualitatively evaluated for their color and for their beverage quality attributes including their fragrance, sweetness, acidity, flavor, body and aftertaste. The beans packaged in hermetic big-bags with a CO2 injection maintained a specialty coffee classification. Impermeable packaging preserved the initial color of the coffee beans. Coffee storage in hermetic packaging preserves the desirable aromas of the coffee. The frequencies of the sweetness and acidity attributes were predominantly low for the coffees packaged in jute sacks. Undesirable flavors and aromas predominated in the coffees packaged in jute sacks. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.