New cocoa processing method produces fruitier, more 'flowery' dark
chocolate

Date:
April 27, 2022
Source:
American Chemical Society
Summary:
Producing chocolate, one of the world's most beloved sweets,
is a multistep process beginning with freshly harvested cocoa
beans. People have been experimenting with chocolate-making
for millennia, and even today, new methods are still being
introduced. Now, researchers have found that an alternative
processing step called 'moist incubation' results in a fruitier,
more flowery-tasting dark chocolate than the conventional
fermentation process.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Producing chocolate, one of the world's most beloved sweets, is a
multistep process beginning with freshly harvested cocoa beans. People
have been experimenting with chocolate-making for millennia, and
even today, new methods are still being introduced. Now, researchers
reporting in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry have found
that an alternative processing step called "moist incubation" results
in a fruitier, more flowery-tasting dark chocolate than the conventional fermentation process.


========================================================================== After cocoa beans are harvested, they are traditionally covered in banana leaves and left for a few days to ferment. During this time, microbes
in the environment degrade the pulp surrounding the beans, heating
and acidifying them. This causes biochemical changes in the beans that
reduce bitterness and astringency, while developing the pleasing flavors
and aromas associated with chocolate. Recently, scientists developed an alternative, non-microbial approach called moist incubation, in which
dried, unfermented cocoa nibs are rehydrated in an acidic solution,
heated for 72 hours and then re-dried. The method, which is faster and
more easily controlled than fermentation, produced similar aromas in
beans as fermentation, with some differences. Irene Chetschik, Ansgar
Schlu"ter and colleagues wanted to find out how the taste and aroma of
the final product -- chocolate -- compared when using moist incubation
versus traditional fermentation.

The researchers made chocolate bars using moist incubated or fermented
dried cocoa beans, as well as unfermented beans as a control. Sensory
panelists said the moist incubated sample had higher intensities of
fruity, flowery, malty and caramel-like aromas, whereas the fermented one
had higher roasty aroma notes, and the bar made from unfermented beans
had a primarily green aroma. The panelists rated the moist incubated
sample as the sweetest-tasting, while the unfermented chocolate was the
most bitter and astringent. Identification of aroma compounds by gas chromatography (GC)-olfactometry and their subsequent quantitation by
GC-mass spectrometry revealed higher levels of malty compounds called
Strecker aldehydes and lower amounts of roasty compounds called pyrazines
in the moist incubated chocolate compared with the fermented one. The researchers concluded that moist incubation produces a chocolate with a pleasant aroma and taste and could, therefore, serve as an alternative postharvest treatment.

The authors acknowledge funding from Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW).


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by American_Chemical_Society. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Ansgar Schlu"ter, Tilo Hu"hn, Markus Kneubu"hl, Karin Chatelain,
Sascha
Rohn, Irene Chetschik. Comparison of the Aroma Composition and
Sensory Properties of Dark Chocolates Made with Moist Incubated and
Fermented Cocoa Beans. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,
2022; 70 (13): 4057 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c08238 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220427100549.htm

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