| Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of copper on the chemical composition of coffee beans and on the quality of the beverage, relating both of them to the Cu leaf contents in coffee (Coffea arabica) plants. Coffee plants were grown in a hydroponic system containing 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 μmol L-1 Cu until fruit setting. Coffee bean production was evaluated, and, after the cherries were dried, the following characteristics were determined: leaf Cu content; total titratable acidity; color index; electrical conductivity; leached K; polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity; concentrations of caffeine, trigonelline, organic acids, total phenols, chlorogenic acids (3-CQA, 4-CQA, and 5-CQA), sucrose, glucose, arabinose, mannose, and... |
