SUMMARY— Amino acids are produced during the fermentation of cocoa beans at a rate which is in agreement with the already established rapid rate of flavour and aroma development. The role of these compounds as aroma precursors receives further confirmation as a result of these studies, and an objective method of assessing the “degree of fermentation” of cocoa beans has been described and tested on a number of different commercial varieties of cocoa.
SUMMARY— The sucrose in fresh cocoa beans is hydrolyzed to glucose and fructose during fermentation and the rate of the reaction confirms the possible inclusion of reducing sugars among the precursors of chocolate aroma. The optimal concentration of reducing sugars in the bean is reached at about the same time as maximal flavor development, and coincides approximately with the peak in amino acid concentration. An objective method for assessing the “Degree of Fermentation” of cocoa beans has been proposed and tested.
SUMMARY
The destruction of reducing sugars during the roasting of cocoa beans was investigated and found to be almost complete. The significance of this observation is discussed in relation to the possible role played by the reducing sugars in the deamination of the free amino acids of the cocoa bean, and to flavor development.
SUMMARY
The destruction of free amino acids during a factory roast of Accra cocoa beans was studied. Different amino acids were destroyed at different rates, but none were destroyed completely. Of the total free amino acids present in the unroasted beans, some 50% were found in the roasted product.
SUMMARY
A study of the distribution of the free amino acids in different commercial varieties of cocoa beans revealed differences which might account, at least in part, for the acknowledged variations in aroma and flavor of the products obtained from these raw materials.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.