Monitoring of cocoa post-harvest process practices on a small-farm level at five locations in Ecuador

Streule, Stefanie; Leischtfeld, Susette Freimüller; Galler, Martina; Schwenninger, Susanne Miescher

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09628

Cited by 16 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Moreover, Streule et al. (2022) have mentioned malty notes in Nacional cocoa from Ecuador, adding another layer of diversity to the flavor profile of the Nacional variety across origins. When comparing Nacional cacao with Criollo and Trinitario varieties, it is evident that Nacional exhibits a diverse and distinct flavor profile.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, the Nacional cocoa from Ecuador exhibits nutty and spicy notes, which can be attributed to the genetic composition of the beans and the interactions between proteins and lipids during fermentation and roasting (Afoakwa et al, 2008). Moreover, Streule et al (2022) have mentioned malty notes in Nacional cocoa from Ecuador, adding another layer of diversity to the flavor profile of the Nacional variety across origins. When comparing Nacional cacao with Criollo and Trinitario varieties, it is evident that Nacional exhibits a diverse and distinct flavor profile.…”

Section: Variability In Flavor Profiles Across Cocoa Varieties and Or...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sensory attributes of fine flavor cocoa beans and chocolate: A systematic literature review

Putri,

De Steur,

Juvinal

et al. 2024

Journal of Food Science

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Fine flavor cocoa (FFC) is known for its unique flavor and aroma characteristics, which vary by region. However, a comprehensive overview of the common sensory attributes used to describe FFC beans and chocolate is lacking. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to analyze existing literature and identify the most commonly used sensory attributes to describe FFC beans and chocolate. A systematic search of the Web of Science and Scopus databases was conducted in May 2023, and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed to ensure transparency and reproducibility. This review summarizes the origins of cocoa and explores their unique flavor profiles, encompassing caramel, fruity, floral, malty, nutty, and spicy notes. Although some origins may exhibit similar unique flavors, they are often described using more specific terms. Another main finding is that although differences in sensory attributes are anticipated at each production stage, discrepancies also arise between liquor and chocolate. Interestingly, fine chocolate as the final product does not consistently retain the distinctive flavors found in the liquor. These findings emphasize the need for precise descriptors in sensory evaluation to capture flavor profiles of each origin. As such, the exploration of attributes from bean to bar holds the potential to empower FFC farmers and chocolate producers to effectively maintain quality control.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Variability In Flavor Profiles Across Cocoa Varieties and Or...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensory attributes of fine flavor cocoa beans and chocolate: A systematic literature review

Putri,

De Steur,

Juvinal

et al. 2024

Journal of Food Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is already widely known that many parameters influence the post-harvest process and, therefore, the cocoa bean and chocolate quality. In the past, various studies were carried out to investigate these influences specifically, such as the ripeness of the cocoa pods, pod storage, pre-conditioning (pre-drying and depulping), environmental contamination, batch sizes during fermentation, fermentation time, turning time and frequency during fermentation, fermentation device, and drying method (natural or artificial drying, dryer type, turning frequency, drying temperature) [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This natural, mostly poorly controlled and heterogenous post-harvest process affects, in addition to the previously listed parameters, the quality and flavor of the fermented and dried cocoa beans and the chocolates produced thereof [ 34 , 35 ]. Therefore, fermentation and drying are crucial steps for quality, e.g., to have well-fermented beans without off-flavors [ 7 ]. Also, in order to neutralize the inconsistent quality of chocolate, chocolate manufacturers blend different cocoa batches to reach a uniform and consistent quality [ 35 , 36 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, some steps, such as pre-drying and turning during fermentation, are occasionally incorporated. Moreover, the fermentation duration can vary, ranging from 2 to 4 days [ 7 , 11 , 17 ]. The drying of cocoa beans is carried out either artificially using various dryer types, some with ventilation and some without, or naturally (sun drying) on surfaces like concrete floors, roadsides, wooden or cane mats, extended plastic sheets on the ground, or drying nets, typically under a plastic canopy (observed during the current study).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Variations in Ecuadorian Cocoa Fermentation and Drying at Two Locations: Implications for Quality and Sensory

Streule,

Freimüller Leischtfeld,

Galler

et al. 2023

Foods

Self Cite

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In Ecuador, various processes are applied during cocoa post-harvesting. This study, therefore, explored fermentation parameters across two locations with 2–7 independent runs, focusing on temperature, microbial counts, pH during fermentation and drying, and their impact on cocoa bean quality. Factors including fermentation devices (jute bags, plastic bags, and wooden boxes), pre-drying, turning during fermentation, fermentation duration, and drying temperature were investigated. Fermenting in plastic bags without pre-drying or turning and fermenting in jute bags for only 40 ± 2.0 h yielded low maximal fermentation temperatures Tmax (31.1 ± 0.4 °C and 37.6 ± 1.8 °C), leading to bitter, astringent, woody, and earthy cocoa liquor. Longer fermentation (63 ± 6 h) in wooden boxes with turning (Wt) and in jute bags with pre-drying and turning (Jpt) achieved the highest Tmax of 46.5 ± 2.0 °C, and a more acidic cocoa liquor, particularly in Wt (both locations) and Jpt (location E). Therefore, it is recommended to ferment for a minimum duration from day 1 to 4 (63 ± 6 h), whether using plastic bags (with mandatory pre-drying) or jute bags (with or without pre-drying or turning). Furthermore, this study underscores the risks associated with excessively high drying temperatures (up to 95.2 ± 13.7 °C) and specific dryer types, which can falsify cut-tests and introduce unwanted burnt-roasted off-flavors in the cocoa liquor.

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Optimization of cacao beans fermentation by native species and electromagnetic fields

Guzmán-Armenteros¹,

Ramos²,

Guerra³

et al. 2023

Heliyon

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Monitoring of cocoa post-harvest process practices on a small-farm level at five locations in Ecuador

Cited by 16 publications

References 35 publications

Sensory attributes of fine flavor cocoa beans and chocolate: A systematic literature review

Sensory attributes of fine flavor cocoa beans and chocolate: A systematic literature review

Variations in Ecuadorian Cocoa Fermentation and Drying at Two Locations: Implications for Quality and Sensory

Optimization of cacao beans fermentation by native species and electromagnetic fields

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