Volatile composition of coffee berries at different stages of ripeness and their possible attraction to the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The analysis of volatile emissions of coffee berries in different physiological states of ripeness was performed using dynamic headspace and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis for Coffea arabica, var. Colombia. The composition of the volatiles emitted by coffee berries is dominated by very high levels of alcohols, mainly ethanol, in all stages of ripeness in comparison with other compounds. Overripe coffee berries have high volatile emissions and show a composition dominated mainly by esters followed by alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes. The lowest level compounds were monoterpenes. 2-Methyl furan was detected in various ripening stages; this compound has not been previously reported as a coffee berry volatile. The presence of ethanol and other alcohols in the volatile composition might explain the effectiveness of using traps with mixed alcohols for detection and capture of coffee berry borers.