Fermentation of Cocoa Bean

Effect of microencapsulated inoculum of Pichia kudriavzevii on the fermentation and sensory quality of cacao CCN51 genotype

“…The drop in pH and rise in the percentage of total acidity inside the grain from day 2 onwards allows the permeability of the grain to be identified, giving rise to the migration of compounds from the seed testa to the cotyledon because of the conversion of ethanol to acetic acid, 9,56 with such behavior being present in all of the treatments investigated. Different studies 9,13,58 have reported that the optimal pH for the development of aroma precursors at the end of the fermentation phase is between 5.0 and 5.5 because, in this pH range, the enzymes aspartate‐endoproteases and carboxypeptidases act jointly and the polypeptides, corresponding to subunits of 7S globulins or vicilins, 13,59 are degraded selectively.…”

“…Cocoa quality is influenced by factors such as the genetics of the material and the development of postharvest or processing stages, which include harvesting, shelling, fermentation, drying, cleaning, and classification of the grain 4,5 . Various studies report that fermentation is one of the stages that mostly affects the quality and flavor potential of cocoa 6‐9 . This occurs because a series of biochemical reactions and chemical changes is triggered in the grains during fermentation as a result of a microbiological succession of consortia such as yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria contributing to a reduction in astringency, bitterness, and the development of taste precursors 10‐12 .…”

“…4,5 Various studies report that fermentation is one of the stages that mostly affects the quality and flavor potential of cocoa. [6][7][8][9] This occurs because a series of biochemical reactions and chemical changes is triggered in the grains during fermentation as a result of a microbiological succession of consortia such as yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria contributing to a reduction in astringency, bitterness, and the development of taste precursors. [10][11][12] The yeast consortium has been associated with the production of compounds such as acetic acid, succinic acid, higher alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and fatty acid esters that can contribute to aroma precursors formation such as cocoa, fruity, floral, and nutty diffused in cocoa beans by endogenous enzymatic activities.…”