The Impact of Processing Location and Growing Environment on Flavor in Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao L.) - Implications for "Terroir" and Certification - Processing Location Study

Curing of Cocoa Beans: Fine-Scale Monitoring of the Starter Cultures Applied and Metabolomics of the Fermentation and Drying Steps

“…Fifth, the dynamics and concentrations of the VOCs in the cocoa pulp differed from those in the cocoa beans, which could be ascribed to production in either the pulp (microbial activities, such as higher aldehydes, higher alcohols, organic acids, and esters) or the beans (endogenous plant metabolism, such as certain ketones and terpenes) or diffusion from the pulp into the beans, mainly higher alcohols, organic acids, and esters ( Rodriguez-Campos et al, 2011 , 2012 ; Kadow et al, 2013 ; Ho et al, 2014 , 2018 ; Sukha et al, 2014 ; Cevallos-Cevallos et al, 2018 ; Chetschik et al, 2018 ; Assi-Clair et al, 2019 ; Castro-Alayo et al, 2019 ; Mota-Gutierrez et al, 2019 ; Rottiers et al, 2019 ). Consequently, higher aldehydes, higher alcohols, and esters produced by yeasts and LAB were the main contributors to the cocoa flavor potential (chocolate, floral, and fruity notes), the concentrations of which were usually higher toward the end of the fermentation processes, in particular for the starter culture-initiated ones.…”

“…Alternatively, the production of VOCs by P. kudriavzevii is strain-dependent ( Pereira et al, 2017 ). Yet, the production of VOCs may also depend on different process factors, such as the fermentation method and cocoa variety, besides temperature and acidity ( Kadow et al, 2013 ; Crafack et al, 2014 ; Sukha et al, 2014 ; Kongor et al, 2016 ; Meersman et al, 2016 ; Chetschik et al, 2018 ; Mota-Gutierrez et al, 2018 ; Castro-Alayo et al, 2019 ; Rottiers et al, 2019 ). Indeed, high temperatures and high acidity during the late stages of cocoa fermentation processes are desired for the production of VOCs in the cocoa pulp and their migration and retention in the beans ( Kadow et al, 2013 ; Ho et al, 2014 , 2018 ; Chetschik et al, 2018 ; Castro-Alayo et al, 2019 ).…”

“…It has been suggested as potential starter culture by several authors ( Pereira et al, 2012 , 2017 ; Ho et al, 2018 ; Ooi et al, 2020 ). However, to have an impact on the flavor quality of the cured cocoa beans and, possibly, of the chocolates produced therefrom, the VOCs produced in the cocoa pulp-bean mass have to diffuse into the beans during the fermentation process and remain there during the drying step ( Kadow et al, 2013 ; Ho et al, 2014 , 2018 ; Sukha et al, 2014 ; Chetschik et al, 2018 ; Castro-Alayo et al, 2019 ; Rottiers et al, 2019 ; De Vuyst and Leroy, 2020 ). Hence, distinction has to be made between endogenous and microbially produced metabolites in both pulp and beans, an underrepresented approach ( De Vuyst and Leroy, 2020 ).…”

Classification of cacao beans (Theobroma cacao L.) of southern Mexico based on chemometric analysis with multivariate approach

“…This phenomenon may have several explanations: (1) either the characteristics of the microclimate in our study are not sufficiently decisive regarding the chemical composition, (2) the accessions have a strong genetic association (highly related individuals) as demonstrated in genetic studies using molecular markers [15] or (3) or trees in adaptive process to the environmental conditions of the Soconusco, Mexico, which could be promoting the particular flavor and other characteristics as demonstrated occurs in other places. It has suggested using the term "terroir" to differentiate the distinctive characteristic of regional cocoas [39]. Even with the above, the classification proposed here is undoubtedly critical for the sensory quality which accessions must exhibit, given that chemical variables are related directly with the sensorial character, and several studies have even proposed the use of chemometric approach with a large number of tools to try to predict the sensory quality [40].…”

Following cocoa beans to chocolate : The search for intrinsic characteristics

“…Apart from its toxicity, Cd could be informative of the soil at the growing location of the cocoa beans (Araujo et al, 2017). The traits presenting strong correlations between beans and chocolates could be used to track and trace beans along the supply chain and support the consideration of applying the concept of 'terroir' to chocolate as an indication of processing location and a growing environment (Engeseth & Fernando Ac Pangan, 2018;Sukha et al, 2014).…”