Bacteria of the families Lactobacilaceae and Streptococcaceae were isolated from cocoa beans fermented by the traditional method used in the State of Bahia (Brazil). During the first 48 hr of the process these bacteria were better established than the yeasts. This observation differs from those reported by other researchers working in other countries. Identification studies showed eight homolactic species: Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus lactis, Pediococcus cerevisiae, Pediococcus acidilactici, Streptococcus lactis and two heterolactic species: Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Lactobacillus brevis. L. plantarum was found better distributed and the thermophile L. delbrueckii was found to constitute 26% of the population at 16 hr.
Aerobic spore forming bacteria isolated from traditional cacao fermentations in Bahia were identified in the genus Bacillus: B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. firmus, B. coagulans, B. pumilus, B. macerans, B. polymyxa, B. laterosporus, B. stearothermophilus, B. circulans, B. pasteurii, B. megaterium, B. brevis, and B. cereus. In the first 8 hr of the fermentations, similar percentages of ten species were found in the distribution. During the fermentation process the amount of spore‐forming bacteria increased and B. subtilis, B. circulans, and B. licheniformis appeared more frequently.
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