A eliminação da substância péctica do café despolpado é causada por microrganismos

English. In papers recently published, Pereira Jr. (9, 10) claimed that coffee fruits have enzimes capable of breaking down the insoluble pectic substance which involves their seeds. This conclusion was drawn from an experiment where freshly pulped coffee fruits were placed in a calcium hydroxide solution containing 0.4% of NaCl as an enzime activator. After this treatment the seeds which were very slimy became apparently clean and could be handled easily. In this paper it is shown that the pectic substance is not eliminated by such a treatment but that it merely becomes herdened by the action of the calcium hydroxide. When seeds so treated were washed and left in water the pectic substance involving the seeds became turgid again giving the seeds the same slimy feeling to the touch that was noticeable prior to the treatment. This process is enhanced by the use of acidulated water after the washing. These results support the conclusions of previous papers (3, 4) showing that the elimination of the pectic substances in pulped coffee berries is due to microorganisms.

Portuguese. Em trabalhos recentemente publicados. Pereira (9, 10) conclui que os frutos de café possuem enzimas capazes de eliminar a substância péctica que envolve as sementes, quando após o despolpomento são eles colocados em água de cal contendo 0,4% de cloreto de sódio. No presente trabalho mostra-se que aquela substância péctica não é eliminada pelo tratamento descrito, mas apenas torna-se endurecida pela ação do cálcio. Quando sementes tratadas da maneira indicada foram lavadas e colocadas em água pura ou levemente acidulada, a substância péctica se reintumesceu e as sementes tornaram-se novamente lisas ao tato e envolvidas pela camada translúcida de substância péctica. Esta conclusão confirma os trabalhos anteriormente publicados (3, 4), que mostraram ser a eliminação da substância péctica, que envolve as sementes de café despolpado, devida a mícrorganismos.