Incidência de fungos toxigênicos em grãos de café em Minas Gerais e projeção de risco de Ocratoxina A em função do possível aumento da temperatura global

Abstract

Climatic conditions, the geography of the producing region and the processes involved in the production of coffee can influence the characteristics of the fruit and coffee beans, which may make them susceptible to fungal contamination. The aim of this study was to evaluate processed coffee beans (Coffea arabica L.) from 3 producing regions of the state of Minas Gerais, with regard to the incidence of toxigenic fungi of the genus Aspergillus, belonging to Sections Circumdatti and Nigri. Samples of processed grains were collected in cooperatives. The technique used was the direct plating amid DRBC, and the results expressed no percentage of contaminated grains. Quantification of OTA was performed by HPLC. The mathematical model proposed by Maiorano et al., (2009) was adapted to assess the optimal conditions for the development of A. ochraceus and A. carbonarius using ecophysiological data of the fungi, environmental conditions of the regions evaluated and rising temperature projections simulated by the IPCC (2001) comparing regions. The regions have statistically significant differences between them for the incidence of fungi. The Zona da Mata region, according to the mathematical model under the conditions of current temperature, is the region closest to the optimum conditions for the development and production of OTA by A. ochraceus. For development and production of Aspergillus carbonarius, the Cerrado best fits the current temperature conditions, corroborating the laboratory studies .