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. 2024 Jul 5;13(13):1853.
doi: 10.3390/plants13131853.

Variation in Soluble Sugars in Arabica Coffee Cherry Fruits

João Leonardo Corte Baptistella  1 , Giovane Assoni  1 , Marcio Souza da Silva  1 , Paulo Mazzafera  2
Affiliations

Variation in Soluble Sugars in Arabica Coffee Cherry Fruits

João Leonardo Corte Baptistella et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

The maturation of Arabica coffee fruits is influenced by both endogenous and external factors. The stage of fruit maturation affects the chemical composition of the beans, which in turn impacts the quality of the coffee beverage. During maturation, the fruit peel changes colour from green to red (cherry), signalling the optimal harvest time and suggesting high fruit quality. However, the degree of redness can vary, indicating different levels of maturity. This study aimed to explore the variation in soluble sugar accumulation in relation to the redness of coffee fruit tissues. We classified ripe fruits into six ripeness categories based on the intensity of the red colour of the epicarp, measured using a colourimeter. We analysed total soluble sugar, sucrose, and starch in three parts: coat (exocarp + mesocarp), coat juice (obtained by squeezing the coat), and beans. Our findings reveal that the variation in sugar in the endosperm does not correspond to changes in the coat, suggesting separate regulation of sugar accumulation, particularly sucrose, which is crucial for coffee quality. Our data indicate that there is no transfer of sucrose and reducing sugars from the red coat to the bean.

Keywords: Coffea arabica; coffee quality; sucrose.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Percentage of fruits in four developmental stages (green, yellow, cherry, and overripe) in samples collected from five C. arabica plants (A) and distribution of the cherry fruits into six ripeness stages according to their redness intensity (B).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Anthocyanin concentration in Arabica coffee coat according to red ripeness classes. Data are means of five replicates and asterisks indicate curve significance at 0.001%. Bars at each ripeness stage indicate standard deviation.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Total soluble sugar (TSS) concentrations in the coat (a), juice (b), and beans (c) of Arabica coffee according to the red ripeness classes. Data are means of five replicates and asterisks indicate curve significance at 1%. Bars in each ripeness stage indicate standard deviation.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Sucrose concentrations in the coat (a), juice (b), and beans (c) of Arabica coffee according to the red ripeness classes. Data are means of five replicates and asterisks indicate curve significance at 1%. ns = not significant. Bars in each ripeness stage indicate standard deviation.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Reducing sugar concentrations in the coat (a), juice, (b) and beans (c) of Arabica coffee according to the red ripeness classes. Data are means of five replicates and asterisks indicate curve significance at 1%. ns = not significant. Bars in each ripeness stage indicate standard deviation.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Starch concentrations in the coat (a) and beans (b) of Arabica coffee according to the red ripeness classes. Data are means of five replicates and asterisks indicate curve significance at 1%. ns = not significant. Bars in each ripeness stage indicate standard deviation.
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