Starter cultures cocoa bean fermentation

It will be a challenge to introduce the application of starter cultures in cocoa bean fermentation practices, either to speed up and better control the fermentation process or to target the fermentation process towards predefined end-products. However, to scale up the initiation of cocoa bean fomentation processes with a defined inoculum to the farm level, whether applied to small farm holdings or laige estates, will be an even greater challenge, especially as it relates to starter culture production and maintenance, inoculation and fermentation method, and last but not least farmers training and extra costs. 

Lefeber, T., Janssens, M., Camu, N., and De Vuyst, L. (2010)Kineticanalysisof strains of lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria in cocoa pulp simulation media toward development of a starter culture for cocoa bean fermentation. Appl Environ Microbiol 76, 7708-7716. 

Lefeber, T., Janssens, M., Moens, E, et al. (201 lb) Interesting starter culture strains for controlled cocoa bean fermentation revealed by simulated cocoa pulp fermentations of cocoa-specific lactic acid bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 77, 6694-6698. 

Lefeber, T., Papalexandratou, Z., Gobert, W., et al. (2012) On-farm implementation of a starter culture for improved cocoa bean fermentation and its influence on the flavour of chocolates produced thereof. Enod Microbiol 30,... 

De Vuyst, L., Takrama, J.F., Ampomah, Y.A., et al. (2010b) Influence of a lactic acid bacterium/acetic acid bacterium starter culture on cocoa bean heap fermentation dynamics and chocolate flavour. Proceedings of the 16 International Cocoa Research Conference, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, November 16-20, pp. 1325-1332. 

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