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Climate variability shapes volatile composition and sensory quality in Coffea arabica cultivars


Abstract

This study evaluated the influence of seasonal climatic variations on the volatile and sensory profiles of three Coffea arabica cultivars (Catucaí 785, Catucaí Açú, and Arara) during the 2021 and 2022 harvests. Climatic data, volatile compound profiles, and sensory profile obtained from beverage evaluations were analyzed to investigate the relationship between environmental conditions and coffee quality. The results indicated that climatic variables such as solar radiation, temperature, and precipitation influence plant physiological processes and the synthesis of aromatic compounds, consequently affecting the sensory characteristics of the beverage. The Catucaí 785 cultivar showed a higher abundance of 2-acetylfuran in the 2022 harvest, a compound commonly associated with sweet and caramel-like aroma notes, which was reflected in the sensory profile by the presence of sweet descriptors such as blackcurrant, molasses, and walnut, contributing to greater beverage complexity. The cultivars exhibited distinct responses under different climatic conditions: Catucaí 785 showed better performance under drier conditions, Catucaí Açú stood out in environments with greater water availability, and the Arara cultivar proved more sensitive to high humidity during the fruit ripening phase. Notably, Arara showed a significant improvement in sensory quality in the 2022 harvest, characterized by the increased frequency of fruity, caramel, and molasses descriptors. These findings highlight the strong interaction between climate, cultivar, and volatile composition in shaping the sensory expression of coffee beverages.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author L.L.P upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Sul Serrana do Espírito Santo Free Admission Credit Cooperative—Sicoob, CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel), CNPq (National Council for Scientific Development and Technology), Federal University of Espirito Santo, Federal Institute of Espírito Santo, to the Q-Graders for their collaboration in this study and to the Coffee Design scholarship holders who dedicated themselves to carrying out this study. In addition to the coffee growers: Mr. Dério Brioschi, Mrs. Maria da Penha Bruneli Brioschi, Dério Brioschi Júnior, and Phelipe Bruneli Brioschi for harvesting and donating the fruits for the experiment. All study participants provided informed consent, and the appropriate ethics review boards approved the study design.

Funding

This research was funded by Sul Serrana of Espírito Santo Free Admission Credit Cooperative—SICOOB, the Cooperativa Agrária dos Cafeicultura de São Gabriel – COOABRIEL, the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel—CAPES, the Research and Innovation Support Foundation of Espírito Santo—FAPES, the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development—CNPq, the Federal Institute of Espírito Santo for supporting the research through the PRPPG no. 12/2021—Research Productivity Program—PPP.

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C.A.F., S.S.B. and W.S.G. designed the study and conducted the field sampling and experimental procedures. C.A.F., T.R.M. and M.M.B.S. performed the chemical analyses and data acquisition. E.C.S.O. and J.M.A. contributed to the chromatographic analyses and interpretation of volatile compound data. A.P.M. and L.L.P. were responsible for project administration, funding acquisition, and overall supervision. C.A.F., W.S.G. and L.L.P. wrote the main manuscript text. T.R.M. prepared the figures and graphical analyses. All authors reviewed, edited, and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Lucas Louzada Pereira.

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Filete, C.A., da Silva Berilli, S., dos Santos Gomes, W. et al. Climate variability shapes volatile composition and sensory quality in Coffea arabica cultivars.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-47655-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-47655-8

Keywords

  • Specialty coffee
  • Seasonal variation
  • Coffee quality
  • Post-harvest physiology
  • Aroma compounds


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