title: Discrimination of the sensory quality of the Coffea arabica L. (cv. Yellow Bourbon) produced in different altitudes using decision trees obtained by the CHAID method.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Knowledge of the sensory profile of coffee quality, associated with genetic and environmental factors, is of utmost importance for the international market, as well as for the productive sector. In this context, the goal of this study was to classify the quality of Coffea arabica L., cv. Yellow Bourbon, according to different scores obtained through sensory evaluations based on the Specialty Coffee Association of America protocol (SCAA), and by means of decision trees resulting from applying the CHAID method (chi-square automatic interaction detection). To that end, we used a database with the sensory characteristics of cv. Yellow Bourbon and the environmental characteristics of the Mantiqueira de Minas region, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The method used exhibited promising results regarding accuracy and success rates in order to discriminate coffee sensory quality as a function of the production environment. The results obtained clearly show the effect of the coffee growing environment on the Yellow Bourbon variety, resulting in notable sensory differences in the beverage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was possible to discriminate cv. Yellow Bourbon coffee samples, the sensory evaluations of which resulted in scores of ≥88 points, which are associated with growing environments at altitudes of ≥1200 m. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Exact Science Department, Federal University of Lavras, 32700-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Figueira
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Lavras, 32700-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diego Egídio
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Exact Science Department, Federal University of Lavras, 32700-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Ângelo
authors.initials: MÂ
authors.lastname: Cirillo
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Engineering Department, Federal University of Lavras, 32700-000, Lavras, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávio Meira
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Borém
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D001938:Brazil; D040503:Coffea / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D003069:Coffee / Q000737:chemistry*; D003663:Decision Trees; D012903:Smell; D013649:Taste
chemical_list: D003069:Coffee
keywords: Arabica coffee; decision tree; sensory attributes; specialty coffees