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Effect of aroma potential of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation on the volatile profile of raw cocoa and sensory attributes of chocolate produced thereof

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Abstract

This research describes on-farm-inoculated cocoa bean fermentation with two selected strains of high aroma-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from wine fermentation and their effects on volatile profile of resulted raw cocoa material and sensory characteristics of chocolates produced. Both strains produced suitably flavour-active esters, aldehydes, ketones and pyrazines in raw cocoa. Inoculation of S. cerevisiae at 0.5 g kg−1 significantly improved the volatile profile of raw cocoa beans and enabled production of chocolate with enhanced intense fresh fruits and floral notes. Chocolate produced thereof presented better overall quality attributed whatever the fermentation time in comparison to the chocolate issued from spontaneous fermentation. Our results suggested the ways of using selected enhanced yeasts as S. cerevisiae for on-farm implementation of bean fermentation as promising alternative possibilities to improve the cocoa fermentation process, desirable flavourful raw cocoa material and high-aroma-quality chocolates produced.

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Acknowledgements

This work was carried out by the team “Equipe 1 Qualité sensorielle des produits frais et transformés” of UMR Qualisud, Cirad, Montpellier-France and the Unit of Research on Post-Harvest Technology, Chemistry and Quality of Cocoa, University Nangui ABROGOUA, Abidjan-Côte d’Ivoire. The research of PhD student ASSI Brice Judicaël was supported by a grant for Ivorian PhD Student awarded by “Appui à la Modernisation et à la Réforme des Universités et Grandes Ecoles de la Côte d’Ivoire du Contrat de Désendettement et de Développement” (AMURGE-CI du C2D).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité de Formation et de Recherche des Sciences et Technologies des Aliments, Université Nangui ABROGOUA, 02 BP 801, Abidjan 02, Côte d’Ivoire

    Brice J. Assi-Clair, Maï K. Koné, K. Kouamé & Tagro S. Guéhi

  2. CIRAD, UMR Qualisud, TA B 96/16, 75 Av JF Breton, 34398, Montpellier cedex 5, France

    M. C. Lahon, L. Berthiot, N. Durand, M. Lebrun, I. Maraval & R. Boulanger

  3. Qualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Université d’Avignon, Université de la Réunion, Montpellier SupAgro, Montpellier, France

    M. C. Lahon, L. Berthiot, N. Durand, M. Lebrun, I. Maraval & R. Boulanger

  4. Lallemand, 19 Rue des Briquetiers, BP 59, 31702, Blagnac Cedex, France

    L. Berthiot & A. Julien-Ortiz

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  1. Brice J. Assi-Clair
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  2. Maï K. Koné
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  3. K. Kouamé
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  5. L. Berthiot
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  8. A. Julien-Ortiz
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  9. I. Maraval
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  11. Tagro S. Guéhi
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Correspondence to Tagro S. Guéhi.

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Assi-Clair, B.J., Koné, M.K., Kouamé, K. et al. Effect of aroma potential of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation on the volatile profile of raw cocoa and sensory attributes of chocolate produced thereof. Eur Food Res Technol 245, 1459–1471 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-018-3181-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-018-3181-6

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