Physicochemical characterization of a composite Coffea arabica L. sample from Alto Noroeste Fluminense under three roasting profiles

Resumo

Coffee production in Alto Noroeste Fluminense has gained regional relevance, although information on the physicochemical characteristics of locally produced beans under different roasting conditions remains limited. This study characterized a composite sample of naturally processed Coffea arabica L. from the 2022 and 2023 harvests produced in Bom Jesus do Itabapoana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, under light, medium, and dark roasting conditions. Moisture, ash, lipids, protein, pH, titratable acidity, water-soluble extract, alcohol-soluble extract, and caffeine were determined using official analytical procedures. Each roasting profile was applied to a single portion of the composite sample, and the subsequent  triplicate determinations represented analytical replicates rather than independent experimental replicates. Therefore, the results were interpreted descriptively. Moisture values decreased from 3.51% in the light roast to 1.76% in the dark roast, while titratable acidity decreased from 221.67 to 178.37 g L-1. Higher ash and lipid proportions were observed with increasing roasting degree, whereas caffeine showed comparatively limited variation, ranging from 0.876 to 0.918 g 100 g-1. These findings provide an initial physicochemical reference for the evaluated composite sample of Arabica coffee from Alto Noroeste Fluminense and describe distinct physicochemical patterns among the three roasting profiles.