There is a growing interest in technologies that improve food quality, as well as food safety aspects. After water, coffee is the most consumed beverage in the planet, with a rising demand for special types, such as fermented coffee, in some importing countries. This type of coffee is obtained by removing the mucilage, submitting the coffee to fermentation, a process that varies with the climate and the associated natural micro-organisms, among other factors, and that can lead to detrimental effects to the quality of the product and to the health of consumers. Thus, it is necessary to investigate new technologies that can help obtain better standardized products, of higher quality and that offer greater food safety. Ozone and ultrasound are technologies used in various areas, with great flexibility and promising results in the production and treatment of an infinity of food products. The potent oxidant and antimicrobial characteristics of both are well-known, however, their mechanisms are still not clearly understood when used in live tissues. Their effects on the various quality parameters must be studied, understood and adjusted, before widespread use in the food industry. In the present paper, ozone or ultrasound were applied as pre-treatments before coffee fermentation, demonstrating their efficacy in improving food safety of the fermented coffee, without perceptible changes in the quality of the beverage.
fermented coffee; ozone; ultrasound; quality; sensorial
