Investigation of spontaneous cocoa fermentation processes using the Ecuadorian Super Árbol variety
Ecuador is one of the top four cocoa-producing countries worldwide and is renowned for its high-quality, fine-flavor cocoa, mainly related to the Nacional variety. Given the increasing global demand for cocoa in terms of quality and quantity, the Super Árbol cocoa variety, which is also considered a fine-flavor variety, is witnessing a growing interest among cocoa producers. However, so far, only a few studies have reported on the investigation of cocoa fermentation processes using the Super Árbol variety. The current study aimed to unravel the dynamics of the microbial ecosystem and the production of volatile and non-volatile organic compounds during spontaneous cocoa fermentation processes using the Super Árbol variety. Hereto, traditional fermentation processes were performed in two consecutive years to assess reproducibility, while in the second year, also box fermentation processes were performed.