Fungi associated with coffee beans (Coffea arabica L.) on five cultivars [Fungos associados a grãos de cinco cultivares de café (Coffea arabica L.)]

Abstract

The aim of this work was to verify the mycobiota associated both internally and externally with coffee beans on the cultivars "Catuai Amarelo", "Mundo Novo", "Acaiá," "Rubi" and "Icatú" and detect the occurrence of ochratoxin A in these samples. Coffee fruits were harvested on the EPAMIG experiment farm, situated in Lavras /Minas Gerais. The procedure for fungi analysis was the Blotter test. Determination of ochratoxin A was accomplished by HPLC. Fusarium semitectum was identified only on the Icatu cultivar and F. equiseti was identified on all cultivars except Mundo Novo. Three species of Penicillium were isolated from the beans: P. rugulosum on the Rubi cultivar, P. funiculosum on the Icatu cultivar and P. variabile on the others. The Acaiá cultivar had the highest incidence of P. variabile followed by Mundo Novo and Catuaí. The occurrence of A. niger and A. ochraceus did not differ among the cultivars.The presence of fungi on the surface was significantly higher than inside the beans. None of the samples presented ochratoxin A.