Understanding Biochemistry of Cocoa Fermentatiion to Arrest Bean Acidity in Papua New Guinea Cocoa.

Abstract

The dominant microbial species observed in a commercial fermentation of Papua New Guinea cocoa were Yeast, Acetobacter, Lactobacillus and Bacillus species. Maximum growth of different species of microbial was observed starting from day 2 of the fermentation. The microbial activities and their rate of metabolism during the fermentation correlated to total acid production, rate of pulp sugar utilization, oxygen concentration and temperature regime. Better understanding of cocoa biochemistry would enable devising of better interventions to arrest acid production during the fermentation to reduce residual bean acidity to improve the overall cocoa flavor.