Microorganisms involved in the fermentation process of specialty coffees in Southwestern Colombia identified as potential starter cultures

The spontaneous coffee fermentation process can be regulated through the application of microbial starter cultures, which are used to enhance the quality of the coffee. In this study, microorganisms derived from coffee fermentations conducted on a representative farm in Southwestern Colombia, where specialty export-type coffee is produced, were isolated, characterized, and identified. The methodology used was based on cultivation techniques of key microbial groups in coffee fermentation, which enabled to establish a collection of microorganisms with future applications in postharvest coffee processing. The microorganisms that exhibited significant characteristics within the established criteria of this study, which were used for the selection of starter cultures for coffee fermentation, belonged to microbial genera or species that are commonly found during the coffee fermentation process. Consequently, the strains Acetobacter tropicalis m108, Kosakonia cowanii P121, Leuconostoc mesenteroides M154, L. mesenteroides M159, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum M157, Pichia kluyveri Y144, P. kudriavzevii Y150, Wickerhamomyces anomalus Y149, and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa Y147 were selected for further study. These strains represent a valuable genetic resource that could contribute to enhancing the quality of coffee from the region, particularly in regard to its cup quality, for future use as starter cultures.