Sugar profile and volatile aroma composition in fermented dried beans and roasted nibs from six controlled pollinated Cameroonian fine-flavor cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) hybrids

The quality of chocolate products proven by consumer acceptability mostly depends on cocoa volatile compounds. In fact, aroma profile or is correlated to genotype, culture conditions, postharvest practices, and manufacturing. To the best our knowledge, no study has been published both sugars aromas controlled hybrids from Cameroon. present aimed at analyzing biochemical composition six hand-pollinated belonging different traditional groups. Specifically, sugar was obtained high performance ion chromatography-electrochemical detector (HPIC-ED) analyzed using headspace solid phase micro-extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS) fermented dried beans roasted nibs. content variable among fructose showed highest concentration in all two matrices. Roasting decreased content. However, decrease seemed genotype dependent. A total 48 were classified groups according their odor description (fruity, floral, chocolate/nutty, buttery/creamy, undesirable, unknown). Fruity flavors not specific a given chemical group. floral volatiles terpenes, chocolate/nutty pyrazines, buttery/creamy lactones undesirable phenols acids. Principal component analysis (PCA) specificity each hybrid hierarchical cluster (HCA) Heatmap presented four distinct SCA12 × ICS40 pyrazine associated important sugars. nibs reduced particularly fruity whereas other flavor moderately increased. some such as 2,3-butanediol, 2-nonanol, linalool, β-myrcene, cis/trans-β-ocimene, 2-nonanone, 2-heptanol, methyl acetate, acetophenone could be used markers separating