This study demonstrated a useful approach for target selection of
aromatic coffee yeasts and their use as starter cultures during the fermentation step of wet processing. The strong flavor producing P. fermentans YC5.2 and the pectinolytic Saccharomyces sp. YC9.15(acetaldehyde
producing)were selected as starter cultures for coffee fermentation.
The use of these starter cultures in wet processing resulted in
coffee beverages with modified flavors, which reveals that yeasts have
a complementary role when associated with coffee quality through
the synthesis of yeast-specific volatile constituents. A coffee with a
distinctive aroma of fruits could be produced using the starter cultures
in coffee processed by the wet method. The selected yeast strains
P. fermentans YC5.2 and Saccharomyces sp. YC9.15 have a great potential
for use as starter cultures in wet processing of coffee and may possibly
help to control and standardize the fermentation process and produce
coffee beverages with novel and desirable flavor profiles. Further studies
should be directed toward the implementation of these yeast strains
under on-farm coffee processing conditions and their interaction with
other microorganisms, such as lactic and acetic acid bacteria and
Gram-negative bacteria present during fermentation.