Coffee Fruits Research Articles

VIBRATION TRANSMISSIBILITY OF THE COFFEE FRUIT-PEDUNCLE SYSTEM: A FORCED VIBRATION STUDY OF HIGH FREQUENCY AIMING MECHANICAL HARVESTING

Semi-mechanized and mechanized harvesting use machines that promote the transference of vibrational energy and impact to achieve the detachment of coffee fruits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the vibration transmissibility in coffee fruit-peduncle systems, using high-speed cameras, submitted to high frequency harmonic excitation in different combinations between frequency and amplitude of vibration, identifying working ranges suitable to perform selective harvesting. Vibration transmissibility was determined for the coffee fruit-peduncle systems, for the maturation stages unripe and ripe that were subjected to a sinusoidal harmonic displacement, in which the input parameters were frequency (35, 45 and 55 Hz) and peak-to-peak amplitude (3.5, 5.0 and 6.5 mm). An experiment was used to study the effect of frequency and amplitude on vibration transmissibility in a completely randomized design in a factorial scheme 3 x 3 x 2, with three replications. The frequency of 35 Hz, associated with the amplitudes 3.5-6.5 mm, was the one that most influenced the results of vibration transmissibility. For the frequency of 55 Hz and amplitude of 6.5 mm, in the ripe maturation stage, the vibration transmissibility was higher than 1.0, which could be a suitable combination for selective coffee harvesting.

Improving the quality of kombucha cascara with different varieties and fermentation time in diverse arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L) cultivars

One of the innovations of cascara is the kombucha cascara which is made from the fermented coffee fruit skin, which is fermented with a kombucha starter or Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY). The cascara used in this study was cascara from the Timtim, Borbor, and Ateng super coffee varieties. This study aims to determine the effect of different varieties of arabica coffee and fermentation time on the quality of kombucha cascara. This study used a factorial randomized block design method consisting of two factors. The first factor is cascara from coffee varieties consisting of three levels (Timtim, Borbor, Ateng super). The second factor is the length of fermentation, consisting of three levels (4, 8, and 12 days). Parameters analyzed were antioxidant activity, total phenol, tannin content, pH, and total microbe. The results showed that cascara from coffee varieties significantly affected antioxidant activity,and pH. Fermentation time significantly affects antioxidant activity, total phenol, tannin content, pH, and total microbial. The best treatment was obtained in the cascara treatment of the Ateng super coffee variety and the fermentation time was 12 days with the following characteristics; antioxidant activity 45.74%, total phenol 132,59 mg/L, tannin content 0.46%, pH value 2.69, and total microbes 4.99x104 CFU/ml.Key words: Fermentation; cascara; coffee; kombucha.

SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF CHLOROGENIC ACIDS AND CAFFEINE BY REVERSED-PHASE HPLC

A variant of simultaneous determination of chlorogenic (monocaffeoylquinic and dicaffeoylquinic) acids and caffeine in coffee (drink) using reversed-phase chromatography with spectrophotometric detection has been developed. For separation, a gradient mode is proposed exploring of two components of the mobile phase containing 3 vol.% of formic acid and 6 and 20 vol.% acetonitrile in distilled water and chromatographic column 150×4.6 mm Symmetry C18, 3.5 μm. Column thermostat temperature is 30 °C. The choice of the type and concentration of the acidifier of the mobile phase is justified in the work. It has been established that the acidity of the mobile phases should not be lower than pH 2 in order to transfer most of the chlorogenic acids to the non-ionized state. The dependences of the retention of monocaffeoylquinic acids and caffeine on the concentration of acetonitrile and formic acid, which is more effective in the selectivity of separation compared to orthophosphoric acid in the mobile phase, are determined. The selectivity of the separation of these compounds depends more on the concentration of formic acid than on the concentration of acetonitrile. Concentrations of chlorogenic acids and caffeine were determined in drinks from two varieties of coffee, coffee husk (dried pericarp of coffee fruits) (produced in Vietnam) and for comparison of two more variants – Arabica coffee from roasted grains and from green decaffeinated grains from other manufacturers. It is shown that coffee husk is a valuable raw material for the preparation of an alternative drink. Thus, when using 1 g of coffee husk when brewing 100 ml of boiling water, a drink containing about 10 mg (per 100 ml) of monocaffeoylquinic acids, about 6 mg of dicaffeoylquinic acids and about 3 mg of caffeine was obtained. For citation: Blinova I.P., Oleinits E.Yu., Salasina Ya.Yu., Deineka V.I., Vu Thi Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Van Anh Simultaneous determination of chlorogenic acids and caffeine by reversed-phase HPLC. ChemChemTech [Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved. Khim. Khim. Tekhnol.]. 2023. V. 66. N 2. P. 45-52. DOI: 10.6060/ivkkt.20236602.6711.

Detection of coffee fruits on tree branches using computer vision

Coffee farmers do not have efficient tools to have sufficient and reliable information on the maturation stage of coffee fruits before harvest. In this study, we propose a computer vision system to detect and classify the Coffea arabica (L.) on tree branches in three classes: unripe (green), ripe (cherry), and overripe (dry). Based on deep learning algorithms, the computer vision model YOLO (You Only Look Once), was trained on 387 images taken from coffee branches using a smartphone. The YOLOv3 and YOLOv4, and their smaller versions (tiny), were assessed for fruit detection. The YOLOv4 and YOLOv4-tiny showed better performance when compared to YOLOv3, especially when smaller network sizes are considered. The mean average precision (mAP) for a network size of 800 × 800 pixels was equal to 81 %, 79 %, 78 %, and 77 % for YOLOv4, YOLOv4-tiny, YOLOv3, and YOLOv3-tiny, respectively. Despite the similar performance, the YOLOv4 feature extractor was more robust when images had greater object densities and for the detection of unripe fruits, which are generally more difficult to detect due to the color similarity to leaves in the background, partial occlusion by leaves and fruits, and lighting effects. This study shows the potential of computer vision systems based on deep learning to guide the decision-making of coffee farmers in more objective ways.

Bioactive compounds in blends of coffee defects originating from the harvesting

A coffee crop may consist of up to 1/5 of defective beans and finding a suitable destination for this material is economically interesting. Many coffee industries collect the selections - material containing coffee defects - and blend them with non-defective coffee fruits in specific proportions to obtain a marketable product. Studies on the composition of selections are scarce. Hydro- and liposoluble bioactive compounds were determined in five types of roasted and ground selections of coffee Arabica and in healthy Arabica and Robusta coffee species throughout an optimized HPLC-UV/Vis-MS-based method. Nicotinic acid and 4-CQA were not detected. Black and sour beans seem to increase the level of caffeine (variation from 1.3 to 2.4 g 100 g-1 of sample) in the selections. The occurrence of defects decreases the level of 5-CQA, the main representative chlorogenic acid. Trigonelline content is high in Arabica coffee, and the presence of defects does not promote a clear variation in its amount. Kahweol concentration (~74.6 to 76.9 mg g-1 of oil) was practicallythe same up the Arabica sample set; this diterpene was absent in Robusta coffee. Cafestol (variation between 12.4 and 16.4 mg g-1 of oil) is a good quality indicator. Kahweol and 16-O-methyl cafestol are species indicators, and caffeine can point out the species of coffee. PCA revealed that sour beans were associated with the presence of kahweol, while cafestol and trigonelline were correlated to the occurrence of coffee skin. The higher the proportion of black beans, the more balanced the contents of water-soluble and liposoluble compounds. Key words: PVA; Coffee harnessing; HPLC-based method; Selection of coffee; Water- and fat-soluble compounds.

Bayesian estimation of nonlinear models parameters in the description of growth coffee fruits

Coffee is one of the main products of Brazilian agriculture and the country is currently the largest producer and exporter in the world. The coffee fruit has a double sigmoidal growth pattern, however, as well as in other fruits that also show such a growth pattern, the authors generally do not estimate parameters of regression models to describe such curve. In the study of fruit growth curves, the sample size is generally small, so the estimation of the parameters should preferably be done by the Bayesian methodology, since a priori information is incorporated, reducing the effects of having few observations. The Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithms are the most used computational tool in Bayesian statistics. However, these generate dependent samples, can be complicated to implement and, mainly, to teach. There are also other alternatives to the MCMC algorithms to obtain approximations of integrals of interest in Bayesian inference, the main ones are based on the importance resampling techniques. The objective of this work is to use Bayesian inference with the weighted importance resampling technique in the estimation of parameters of double sigmoidal nonlinear regression models to the description of coffee fruit growth. The double nonlinear logistic model was used in the description of the accumulation of fresh weight in coffee fruits. All prioris used have Beta distribution and were obtained by the called prior of specialist technique. Bayesian methodology was efficient, since it provided parameters with practical interpretation to coffee fruit growth, consistent with the reality. Thus, Bayesian inference by weighted importance resampling was a good alternative for the parameters estimation of nonlinear double sigmoid regression models. The logistic model showed that the growth of coffee fruits is more intense in the first sigmoid (until 162 DAF)of the growth curve and stabilizes in its final weight after 262 daf.

The Effect of Freeze Drying and Determination of Heat Transfer on Various Maturity Levels of Robusta Coffee Fruits

The quality of coffee beans is influenced by the level of maturity, which can be determined based on the skin color of the coffee fruit and post-harvest processing. The study was conducted to determine the effect of freeze-drying on various variations in the level of maturity of water content, caffeine, and heat transfer value. The freeze-drying method was chosen because it can maintain the chemical content of the food. Robusta coffee was obtained from Karawang Regency, West Java, Indonesia. Coffee fruit is sorted by skin color using a colorimeter. Fresh beans are obtained by stripping the fruit skin and epidermis and washing mucus. Fresh bean is reduced in size until it passes the 18-mesh sieve. Freeze-drying is operated at an initial temperature of -20 ℃, sublimation temperature of 40 ℃, and operating pressure of 1 to 6 mbar abs. Water content analysis using gravimetric methods, caffeine content analysis using UV-Vis spectrophotometry method, and fat content using the Soxhlet method. The total heat transfer value is determined from the cup to the material. The results showed that the freeze-drying process at semi-ripe to over-ripe maturity levels could reduce the water content to the permissible limit but cannot be used for unripe. The results of the statistical significance test show that the freeze-drying process at various maturity levels can significantly reduce the water content but can maintain the caffeine content in robusta coffee beans. The highest heat transfer value occurs at the un-ripe maturity level of 86.50 kJoule.

The Effect of Arabica Coffee Fruit Skin Extract (Coffea arabica L.) on the Histopathology of Mice (Mus musculus L.) Liver Induced by Ethanol

Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to serious live injury. Alcohol is a source of free radicals that can cause oxidative stress. The provision of antioxidants can counter the effects of free radicals that enter the body. The skin of the Arabica coffee fruit contains antioxidant compounds that can be used as a hepatoprotective in the liver. The skin of the Arabica coffe fruit contains antioxidant compounds that may have a hepatoprotective effect on the liver. This study aimed to determine the effect of extract of arabica coffee fruit skin on necrosis, infiltration and haemorrhage in the liver tissue of 15% EtOH-induced mice for 15 days. The animals used for this study were eight weeks old male Balb/c strain mouse weighing approximately 30-40 grams. This research is an experimental study. There were five groups: the control group (K), the 15% ethanol treatment group (E), and the ethanol-induced group and given different doses of arabica coffee skin extract: 125 mg/kg BW. (A), 250 mg / kg BW (B) and 500 mg / kg BW (C). Observation and identification of necrosis, hepatocyte infiltration and haemorrhage were carried out by using Hematoxylin-eosin staining. The data analysis used was One way ANOVA and continued by Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The histopathological observations showed that the extract of arabica coffee fruit skin at a 250 mg/kg BW dose reduced the number of cell necrosis. There was no infiltration of inflammatory and hemorrhagic cells in the liver of 15% EtOH-induced mice. This study concludes that the extract of the skin of the Arabica coffee fruit has hepatoprotective potential in 15% EtOH-induced mice.

Qualities of coffee beans, from ripe fruit, kept in clean water for up to five days

The use of compatible techniques, which allow family coffee growers to form larger batches of coffee, to be dried in commercial dryers and within their production reality, is very important in view of the scarcity of labor and demand for superior quality. As natural drying, depending on climatic conditions, may not produce high quality coffees, it is necessary that farmer maintain small daily harvests in conditions that can be transformed into a larger batch compatible with the capacity of conventional dryers, offered by the Brazilian industry. The acquisition of a dryer, which does not meet the entire harvest, can derail the process, with increased costs of acquisition, operational and incompatibility of the harvest / post-harvest systems. If the dryer capacity does not meet the harvest schedule at the peak of coffee maturation, when there will be a need for extra labor to avoid fruit fall, there will be losses due to reduced product quality. To solve the problem, this work was carried out on a farm with potential for coffee of superior quality, with 1100 meters of altitude located in the district of Embiruçu in the municipality of Mutum-MG, using the water storage technique, proposed by Machado (2005) for coffee harvested by hand striping, and confirmed by (Coelho et al., 2019) in the treatment of green coffee fruits, originated in wet processing. The results of this work show that the technology of immersion of fruits, recently harvested in water, for up to five days, did not impair the quality of the cup-proof and positively influenced the physical parameters used in the evaluation of the coffee type, indicating the possibility of aggregating small batches to enable the use of conventional dryers in the small coffee farms.

Genotype × Environment Interaction in the Coffee Outturn Index of Amazonian Robusta Cultivars

The coffee outturn index, understood as the relation between the cherry coffee fruit harvested from the field and its respective processed grains, is an important component of the Coffea canephora bean yield. The aim of this study was to quantify the coffee outturn index of the Amazon Robusta cultivars grown in irrigated and dryland Western Amazon environments. According to the maturation cycle of each clone, washed samples of cherry coffee were collected considering a completely randomized factorial design for characterization of the effects of genotypes, environments, and the genotype × environment (G×E) interaction. The contrasting environments of Porto Velho, RO, and Ouro Preto do Oeste, RO, Brazil, represent most of the coffee growing sites located in Am and Aw climate types, cultivated in Red and Yellow Oxisols, typical of the Western Amazon. The weight reductions through drying exhibited a G×E interaction of the complex type, which is characterized by a change in the ordering of genotypes from one environment to another, whereas the weight reductions through hulling exhibited a G×E interaction predominantly of the simple type. The reduction in weight due to drying was more affected by the environment than reduction in weight after pulping. The clones BRS1216, BRS 3220, and BRS3137 had the highest outturn index estimates and the clones BRS2314, BRS3213, and BRS2336 had the lowest outturn index estimates. The clones BRS2299, BRS3210, BRS3193, and BRS2357 had performance near the mean value of this group of genotypes. Considered together, the genotypes had a mean outturn of 24.41%, with an amplitude from 22.5% to 27.2%.

The best moment to carry out the selective harvest of coffee fruits

AbstractSelective mechanized coffee (Coffea arabica L.) harvesting is strategic for producers to add greater quality and value to their production. However, the success of this operation is linked to the strength needed to detach the fruit from the coffee tree. The objective of this work was to evaluate the detachment force of coffee fruits according to the period of the day (TT), as well as the relation between the stages of maturation and exposure to sunlight. The experiment was carried out in a coffee plantation Catuaí Vermelho IAC 144 (in the municipality of Presidente Olegário, Minas Gerais, Brazil) during the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 harvests. A completely randomized design was used in a time‐sub‐subdivided plot scheme. The main plot (sun exposure), subplots (fruit maturation stages [TSs]), and sub‐subplot (days). The detachment force of the fruits was evaluated using a portable digital dynamometer, with 36 repetitions. Data variance analysis was performed and, when necessary, Tukey's test was applied, both at .05 probability. The force required to remove the fruits from the coffee tree was influenced by the TS, the TT, and the plants' face of sun exposure. It is concluded that the TT and the face of sun exposure influence the detachment strength of the coffee fruits and that considering the detachment strength of the green and ripe fruits, all periods evaluated favor the realization of selective mechanized harvesting of coffee.

Wet fermentation of Coffea canephora by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts using the self-induced anaerobic fermentation (SIAF) method enhances the coffee quality

This work aimed to evaluate the impact of inoculation single and co-cultivation of LAB and yeasts during the wet process of Coffea canephora using the self-induced anaerobic fermentation method. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Totulaspora delbrueckii delbrueckii, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum were monitored during fermentation. L. mesenteroides was detected in high concentrations in the coffee fruits (8.54 log10 cells/mL) and remained until the end of fermentation. Lactic and acetic acids were the main acids produced during fermentation. After 36 h of fermentation, 75.39% of malic acid was consumed in the L. mesenteroides + S. cerevisiae (MC) fermentations. In roasted coffee, the caffeine concentration reached 3.29 higher than the green beans in MC fermentation. Specific volatile compounds were detected in inoculated fermentation and may contribute to the beverage quality. Coffee inoculated with Leuconostoc mesenteroides was classified as fine (80.0–89.0), while the other fermentations were classified as premium (70.0–79.0). L. mesenteroides inoculation showed the best sensory score, and the beverage was characterized by caramel, fruity, and spices notes. L. mesenteroides inoculated alone or in co-culture with S. cerevisiae are promising starter cultures to improve Conilon coffee quality and obtain beverages with differentiated sensory profiles.

Case control study for the effect of functional food consumption on biomarkers of patients with viral hepatopathy (Hepatitis B and C) and metabolic syndrome

Introduction: The dissemination and adoption of healthy eating habits are crucial in promoting Public Health. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death. Viral hepatitis causes a high morbidity burden and a high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma.Objective: This case-control aims to investigate the impact of eating habits, especially functional food, on biomarkers of Metabolic Syndrome, Hepatitis B/C. The bibliographic lack of research on this matter was the impetus for this study.Methods: 90 (aged> 18 years) patients participated in the study, equally distributed in the three diseases and 90 healthy controls. The cardiovascular-hepatic biomarkers evaluated were: HbΑ1c, CHOL, TG, HDL, SGOT, SGPT, ΝΤ-proBNP, U, and CR.Results: The main groups of conventional and selected functional foods were recorded through their frequency of consumption and their effect on biomarkers (Statistically significant level, p-value <0.05). BNP was statistically significantly correlated (<300 pg./ml) with the consumption of wine, legumes, and honey, Urea with the consumption of fruits, Cr with the consumption of nuts and olive oil, and Cholesterol with the consumption of honey and herbs. Increased consumption of nuts was statistically significantly correlated with the improvement of BNP and U-values, vegetables with the improvement of SGPT, coffee fruits, and herbs with the improvement of SGOT values.Conclusion: Our results agree with the international references, where the beneficial effects of functional foods are mainly captured descriptively and not in absolute values of biomarkers, as we have tried to highlight in our case-report study. Although in a small sample, the results highlight the beneficial effect of functional foods on cardiovascular-hepatic biomarkers. More prospective studies are needed for clearer results.Keywords: Functional Food; Metabolic Syndrome; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Biomarkers

Rancang Bangun Alat Pemisah Buah Kopi Berdasarkan Tingkat Kematangan Menggunakan Sensor TCS3200 Berbasis Android

The processing of coffee before it can be drunk goes through a long process, namely harvesting coffee fruits that have matured either by machine or by hand, then processing coffee fruits and drying before they become spindle coffee. Before the roasting process, the coffee fruit is chosen first to be ripe in order to produce the last result of the best coffee process. After the coffee fruit is selected, the next process is stripping the ripe coffee fruit in order to speed up the post-harvest process of the coffee fruit. Harvesting will also affect the quality and taste of coffee, harvesting is usually done when the coffee fruit that has matured physiologically which is characterized by the color of the fruit skin becomes a red color. At the level of maturity of coffee fruits still occurs not simultaneously so that the harvesting process takes a long time. When the harvest period comes, the separation of coffee fruits is still mostly done manually by picking them in a simultaneous way. This simultaneous separation of coffee fruits makes the mixing of coffee fruits that are still raw, half-ripe, and already ripe, causing poor taste quality, that's why the author got the idea to make a tool that can make the coffee harvesting process simpler and more efficient, namely a coffee fruit separator tool based on maturity level aims to find out how the tool performs in detecting coffee fruits based on maturity levels and how performance from a coffee fruit peeler. This tool can produce separate coffee fruits based on the degree of maturity, namely in the category of ripe, half-ripe and unripe. When coffee fruits that are still not separated between ripe, half-ripe and raw, are placed on the conveyor, the TCS3200 color sensor will detect the coffee fruit according to its color. The coffee fruit will be sorted automatically into a container that has been provided which is controlled by a servo motor that has been pre-programmed by Arduino. After the data from the coffee fruit separator has been read by the sensor, the Arduino will send the data to android via bluetooth connection. Furthermore, red coffee fruits or coffee fruits in the ripe category will proceed to the stripping stage. At the stripping stage, ripe coffee fruits will be peeled on a peeling machine controlled by a servo motor

Coffee's Phenolic Compounds. A general overview of the coffee fruit's phenolic composition

Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites ubiquitously distributed in the plant kingdom which come in a wide array of molecular configurations which confer them a comprehensive set of chemical attributes such as, but not limited to: nutraceutical properties, industrial applications (e.g., dyes, rawhide processing, beer production, antioxidants), and plant self-defense mechanisms against natural enemies also known as the Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR).However, despite the fact, that there is a large number of phenolic-containing food products (e.g., chocolate, green tea, wines, beer, wood barrel-aged spirits, cherries, grapes, apples, peaches, plums, pears, etc.), coffee remains, in the western hemisphere, as the main source of dietary phenolic compounds reflected by the fact that, in the international market, coffee occupies the second trading position after oil and its derivatives. The following discussion is the product of an extensive review of scientific literature that aims to describe essential topics related to coffee phenolic compounds, especially chlorogenic acids, their purpose in nature, biosynthesis, determination, metabolism, chemical properties, and their effect on cup quality. Keywords: phenolic acids, caffeoylquinic acid, antioxidant capacity, metabolism, biosynthesis.

Mapping the mountainous climate in the Matas de Minas region, Brazil which influences the top-quality coffee beverages

All the characteristics of the mountainous environment directly influence the coffee crops, and subsequently, on the final coffee note, that reflects the quality of the beverage produced in a region. Despite increasing coffee research, little is known about the influence of the water indices, factors, and the elements of climate on top-quality coffee production potential. Thus, the present study was carried out aiming to analyze the water indices, causes, and aspects of clime, to identify those that most contribute to the potential production of high-quality Arabica coffee beverages in a mountain environment. We considered harvesting the coffee fruits at the cherry stage in 26 municipalities in the Matas de Minas region in the Atlantic Forest Biome in the eastern state of Minas Gerais, and the International Cup of Excellence method was adopted for the sensory evaluation. The principal components analysis and the multiple linear regression (MLR) were used to relate the local environmental variables with the final grade of the coffee beverage. As a result, the Multiple Linear Regression model showed the value of 0.63 for R2. This result means that the joint variability of all the variables considered explained 63% of the changes in coffee beverage quality. And the altitude impact on the grade achieved for the coffee beverage produced in the Matas de Minas region, represented by β, was 0.008068, meaning that for every 100 meters of increase in the altitude, there is an approximate increment of 0.8 points in the final note achieved for the coffee beverage. Among all the environmental characteristics studied, the climatic factor altitude was the main contributor to the coffee top-quality production potential in the Matas de Minas region.

Colletotrichum spp. e outros fungos associados à antracnose em Coffea arabica L. no estado de Mérida, Venezuela

ABSTRACT In tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, diseases can be major limiting factors to coffee (Coffea arabica) production, a highly valued crop internationally. Our aim was to identify Colletotrichum spp. and other fungal species associated with Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) and anthracnose on coffee twigs, which can greatly inhibit crop production. Concatenated phylogenetic analyses of ApMat and GS loci were used to identify two Colletotrichum species. Colletotrichum siamense was isolated from symptomatic mature and green berries that were both infested and uninfected with Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) and from twigs displaying anthracnose symptoms. Colletrotrichum alienum was isolated from twigs showing anthracnose symptoms. Along with these two Colletotrichum species, association of Fusarium incarnatum (= Fusarium semitectum) and Fusarium solani was found. Identification of Fusarium species was obtained through combined datasets of partial TEF1 and RPB2. Fusarium isolates came from ripe coffee fruits displaying symptoms of CBD, infested or not with CBB, and coffee twigs. In addition, concatenation of four gene regions (ITS, TEF1, CAL, TUB2) allowed the identification of another fungus, together with isolates from coffee twigs with anthracnose, Diaporthe pseudomangiferae. This is the first report of Colletotrichum siamense and Colletotrichum alienum, along with the fungi Fusarium solani and Diaporthe pseudomangiferae, associated with berry diseases on Coffea arabica in the state of Mérida, Venezuela.

Musculoskeletal Symptoms and Assessment of Ergonomic Risk Factors on a Coffee Farm

In Honduras, some coffee farms must comply with strict standards of social, economic, and environmental sustainability, due to their organic, gender and fair-trade certifications. The principal research aim is to evaluate the musculoskeletal risks in occupations in a Honduran coffee farm certified in sustainable environments and to know the status of its workers within the farm. Musculoskeletal symptom perception during the last twelve months was consulted, assessing exposure to risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders using the Quick Exposure Check method. Data regarding 48 workers were analyzed to provide the results. Within the body regions where discomfort is concentrated, the back, shoulders, wrists, knees, and feet stand out, and the highest risk exposures are presented for the coffee cutters at the neck level and in the wrist/hand segment, in the coffee pickers at the back, shoulder–arm segment, and wrist/hand segment, and in the processors in the back area and shoulder–arm segment. It is concluded that, in all the coffee fruit harvesting processes, the people who work in these jobs are exposed to ergonomic risks.

Design of Work Facilities to Reduce Complaints of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDS) with an Ergonomic Approach to Coffee Farmers

Complaints on the musculoskeletal system are complaints that are felt by a person in the muscles and skeleton with different levels of complaints, complaints to this damage are usually referred to as musculoskeletal disorders. The purpose of this study was to improve work facilities in the process of picking coffee cherries in Arul Item Village, Central Aceh. This measurement was carried out using the REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) method and using the NBM (Nordic Body Map) questionnaire as the research instrument. The study was conducted using an analytical survey method which aims to see the relationship between work attitudes and musculoskeletal complaints with an ergonomic approach. From the results of the NBM questionnaire on 56 workers, it shows that the musculoskeletal complaints experienced by coffee berry pickers are in the category of pain, most of which are in the upper neck and left wrist as many as 39 (70%). In the very category of pain, the most pain was in the left shoulder 50 (89%) and the right wrist as much as 33 (59). Based on measurements using the REBA method, it is stated that there is an actual REBA score of 4-7 where the risk is at moderate risk for musculoskeletal disorders and on the proposed REBA score there is a score of 2 where the score is in a low risk area, so as to improve work attitudes and work posture which resulted in the emergence of musculoskeletal complaints, a modified work tool design, namely a bag, was proposed to reduce the high number of musculoskeletal complaints in coffee fruit pickers

Dominant microbial communities and biochemical profile of pulped natural fermented coffees growing in different altitudes

Altitude changes the coffee fruits and beans composition before and after harvesting. We aimed to evaluate the effect of altitude on the microbial community structure associated with pulped coffee fruits under self-induced anaerobic fermentation (SIAF) and their acids, volatiles, and antioxidants biochemical profiles. The most abundant bacterial genera were Gluconobacter (800 m), Weissella (1,000 m), and Leclercia (1,200 and 1,400 m). Yeasts dominated the pulped natural fermentations within the fungal species, containing high abundances of Cystofilobasidium infirmominiatum, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, and Meyerozyma caribbica. Citric, alcohols, and caffeine were the most dominant compounds in SIAF among acids, volatiles, chemical groups, and antioxidants. High altitude coffees favor alcohols, aldehydes, and esters groups, while low altitude coffees favor phenols.