Abstract This study aimed to analyze the knowledge, perspectives, and preferences of consumers about specialty coffees and to investigate how information can influence the perception of taste and the sensory characteristics of consumers. A descriptive-analytic survey was conducted through a questionnaire in a digital format with 1005 respondents. Four trained Q-Grader tasters evaluated a sample of cherry coffee fermented. The Specialty Coffee Association developed the cupping protocol used. According to the perceived descriptors, a sensory analysis was performed with the same coffee with 101 consumers to evaluate the influence of information received before the analysis. The chocolate flavor is the most expected in coffee. However, the participants are willing to try different specialty coffees. The coffee has been considered excellent (85.15 points) by Q-Grader tasters and widely accepted by consumers. Check-all-that-Apply (CATA) test showed that consumers could be influenced by information. When the coffee has been presented without information, the consumers noticed a more caramel flavor. However, when the information has been added to the same coffee, the citric flavor was more noticeable. In conclusion, information on specialty coffees should be more widespread. Consumer's expectations can be influenced by information, which in turn can modify their sensory perception.

Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o perfil proteico de café arábica (Coffea arabica) fermentado por via natural e semisseco, submetido ou a tratamentos com diferentes métodos de inoculação com culturas iniciadoras ou a um controle sem inoculação. Saccharomyces cerevisiae CCMA 0543 e Candida parapsilosis CCMA 0544 foram inoculadas separadamente no café, por pulverização direta nos frutos-cereja, em um terreiro suspenso, ou em baldes, por 16 horas antes da secagem ao sol. A quantificação de proteínas mostrou uma diferença significativa no perfil proteico das amostras colhidas, após fermentação seca natural. A análise MALDI-TOF MS gerou uma lista de 96 picos com diferentes proporções massa/carga (m/z), nas amostras colhidas no início e ao final da fermentação. O maior número de picos no café processado seco ao natural foi observado ao final da fermentação nas amostras com inoculação de S. cerevisiae CCMA 0543, no balde e nas amostras de C. parapsilosis CCMA 0544 pulverizadas no terraço. No entanto, no café processado semisseco, o maior número de picos foi observado no tempo inicial de fermentação, com diminuição dos picos dos peptídeos após a fermentação. A fermentação com diferentes microrganismos, tipos de processamento e métodos de inoculação afeta os perfis m/z e influencia os tipos de proteínas encontradas no café.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the protein profiles of natural and semidry fermented Coffea arabica, either subjected to treatments with different yeast inoculation methods with starter culture or to an uninoculated control. Saccharomyces cerevisiae CCMA 0543 and Candida parapsilosis CCMA 0544 were separately inoculated into coffee by directly spraying the cherries on a terrace or in buckets, for 16 hours before sun drying. Protein quantification showed a significant difference between the protein profiles of the samples collected after natural dry fermentation. The MALDI-TOF MS analysis generated a list of 96 peaks with different mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) in the samples collected at the beginning and the end of fermentation. The highest number of peaks in the natural dry coffee was observed at the end of fermentation in the samples inoculated with S. cerevisiae CCMA 0543, in bucket, and in C. parapsilosis CCMA 0544 sprayed on the terrace. However, in the semidry processed coffee, the highest number of peaks was observed in the initial fermentation, with a decrease in the peptide peaks after fermentation. The fermentation with different microorganisms, processing types, and inoculation methods affects m/z profiles, influencing the types of proteins found in coffee.