Fermentation of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Pulp by Laetiporus persicinus Yields a Novel Beverage with Tropical Aroma

Abstract

Cocoa pulp represents an interesting by-product of cocoa production, with an appealing flavor. We developed a non-alcoholic beverage via the submerged fermentation of 10% pasteurized cocoa pulp in water with Laetiporus persicinus for 48 h; the product was characterized by tropical fruity notes such as coconut, mango, passion fruit and peach. The overall acceptance of the beverage compared to the non-fermented medium, as rated by a panel, increased from 2.9 to 3.7 (out of 5.0 points) for odor and from 2.1 to 4.2 for taste. (R)-Linalool (flowery, fruity), methyl benzoate (green, sweet), 2-phenylethanol (rose, sweet), 5-butyl-2(5H)-furanone (coconut, peach) and (E)-nerolidol (flowery, woody) contributed to the overall aroma with odor activity values of >1. During aroma dilution analysis, further substances with coconut, passion fruit and peach-like notes were perceived and structurally assigned to the group of sesquiterpenoids. The fermentation generated a highly interesting beverage using only 10% of the valuable cocoa pulp. The aroma formation via the fungus L. persicinus on cocoa pulp is of great interest for further research as an example of the formation of substances not yet described in the literature.

Reduction in the Cocoa Spontaneous and Starter Culture Fermentation Time Based on the Antioxidant Profile Characterization

“…Regarding acids, one of the predominant compounds in SC was acetic acid (Table S4), which was similar to that reported by Chagas et al [99] and Sandoval-Lozano et al [100], which began to increase dramatically between 48 and 72 h of fermentation, a period in which it is associated with a conversion of ethanol to acetic acid, where the yeast S. cerevisiae contributes to the oxidation of alcohol [22,99,100]. A higher content of linalool could be observed in SC compared to SF, as reported by Assi-Clair et al [22]; our study showed high concentrations after 48 h of fermentation similar to Klis et al [101]; finally, a shorter presence of isobutyl acetate (48 h) was detected in SC, presenting floral, fruity and banana notes [102], as detected in the same type of fermentation in the study of Assi-Clair et al [22]. S3).…”

Fermentation of cocoa pod husks with Pleurotus salmoneo‐stramineus for food applications

“…The application of mycelium from side stream fermentations can be performed in different ways: the processing of the mycelium–substrate complex as a whole, the mycelium separated from the substrate, the protein extracted from the mycelium, and the protein secreted by the fungus (Scholtmeijer et al., 2023 ). Furthermore, the fermentation of higher mushrooms offers possibilities to improve the organoleptic properties of agricultural side‐streams, such as by‐products from the cocoa industry (Klis et al., 2023 ).…”

Thermal stabilisation of cocoa fruit pulp — Effects on sensory properties, colour and microbiological stability

“…The pleasant flavour of cocoa pulp makes it highly attractive for the international food sector, especially for the development of beverages ( Klis et al, 2023 ). Only a few studies focused on the aroma composition of cocoa pulp.…”