Characterization and Distribution of Aerobic, Spore‐Forming Bacteria from Cacao Fermentations in Bahia

Abstract

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.

Microbiological and Physicochemical Characterization of Small-Scale Cocoa Fermentations and Screening of Yeast and Bacterial Strains To Develop a Defined Starter Culture

“…It is believed that the growth of a low population of certain Bacillus strains might have a beneficial action, e.g., by acting as a complementary partner to the yeasts in the pulp depectinization process during the advanced stage of cocoa fermentation (28). However, a high population may contribute to the acidity and perhaps to the undesirable flavors of fermented cocoa beans (38). In this sense, cocoa fermentations conducted with a defined inoculum of LAB and yeasts may prove useful for the control of Bacillus spp.…”

The Functional Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Cocoa Bean Fermentation

“…This population varies from 4 log cfu/g of pulp during the fi rst 3 days of fermentation to 7 -9 log cfu/g of pulp at the end of fermentation (Ostovar and Keeney 1973 ;Carr et al 1979 ;Lehrian and Patterson 1983 ;Schwan et al 1986Schwan et al , 1995Ardhana and Fleet 2003 ;Nielsen et al 2007a ). The exact role of Bacillus spp.…”

“…during cocoa bean fermentation has not been fully elucidated. These bacteria are able to produce a variety of metabolic end -products, relative to fermentation conditions, that contribute to acidity (lactic acid, acetic acid), desirable fl avors (acetoin, 2,3 -butanediol, tetramethylpyrazine), and typical hammy off -fl avors (C3 to C5 free fatty acids) of cured cocoa beans (Schwan et al 1986 ;Schwan and Wheals 2004 ). Alternatively, Bacillus spp.…”

Polygalacturonase production by Kluyveromyces marxianus: effect of medium composition

“…It has been established, however, that several species of yeast proliferate early on in the fermentation, leading to production of ethanol. This is followed by a phase in which bacteria, principally lactic and acetic acid bacteria, appear; this is followed by growth of aerobic spore-forming bacteria (Roelofsen 1958 ;Schwan et al 1986). In addition to yeast activity leading to formation of ethanol and CO, from sugars, principally by strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, there is a breakdown of the pectic materials coating the cocoa beans which produces watery sweatings (Carr 1982).…”