IDENTIFICATIONS OF THE VOLATILE COMPONENTS RELEASED BY FRESH COFFEE BERRIES AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF RIPENESS

The composition of volatile chemicals released by fresh coffee berries at different stages of ripeness for Coffea canephora var. Robusta and Coffea arabica was investigated by dynamic headspace collection and G C and GC/MS analyses. Green berries produced few compounds whereas red berries were characterized by high levels of terpenes for C. arabica and by both terpenes and sesquiterpenes for C. canephora var. Robusta. As berries dried out, these compounds decreased and oxygenated compou nds became more abundant. The results showed changes in volatile blend s released by the coffee berries during ripening, Red berry effluvia a re already known to attract colonizing females of the coffee berry bor er; thus, specific compounds identified will be considered as candidat e chemicals involved in the attraction.