Influence of Yeast Interactions on the Fermentation Process and Aroma Production in Synthetic Cocoa Pulp vs. Real Mucilage Media

Cocoa fermentation plays a key role in defining chocolate’s flavor, with yeasts being central to this process. This study aimed to explore intraspecific genetic diversity of major indigenous yeasts (i.e., <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> and <i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i>), and th...

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Main Authors: Lydie Besançon, Da Lorn, Christelle Kouamé, Joël Grabulos, Marc Lebrun, Angélique Fontana, Sabine Schorr-Galindo, Renaud Boulanger, Caroline Strub, Alexandre Colas de la Noue
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Fermentation
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/10/12/662
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author Lydie Besançon
Da Lorn
Christelle Kouamé
Joël Grabulos
Marc Lebrun
Angélique Fontana
Sabine Schorr-Galindo
Renaud Boulanger
Caroline Strub
Alexandre Colas de la Noue
author_facet Lydie Besançon
Da Lorn
Christelle Kouamé
Joël Grabulos
Marc Lebrun
Angélique Fontana
Sabine Schorr-Galindo
Renaud Boulanger
Caroline Strub
Alexandre Colas de la Noue
author_sort Lydie Besançon
collection DOAJ
description Cocoa fermentation plays a key role in defining chocolate’s flavor, with yeasts being central to this process. This study aimed to explore intraspecific genetic diversity of major indigenous yeasts (i.e., <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> and <i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i>), and their potential interaction in the cocoa pulp environment. Their metabolic intraspecific diversity was characterized in synthetic cocoa pulp medium. Then, <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>, <i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i>, and other strains were introduced to each other to evaluate their potential negative interaction. Interesting strain associations were selected to further explore their interaction in synthetic cocoa pulp medium as well as real fresh cocoa pulp. From a fermentation campaign in Ivory Coast, a set of <i>Saccharomyces (S.) cerevisiae</i> and <i>Pichia (P.) kudriavzevii</i> strains were isolated from batches classified according to their chocolate quality (i.e., standard, intermediate, or premium chocolate). Less abundant species (i.e., <i>Torulaspora franciscae</i>, <i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i>) were also isolated and tested for their potential negative interactions with <i>S. cerevisiae</i> and <i>P. kudriavzevii</i>. A set of strains were selected and cultured in single and in co-culture in a minimal cocoa pulp synthetic medium and in fresh cocoa pulp to highlight potential positive and/or negative interactions regarding fermentative aroma profile (i.e., higher alcohols, acetate esters, medium-chain fatty acids, and ethyl esters). The results highlighted the dominance of <i>S. cerevisiae</i> in fermentation kinetics and medium- to long-chain ester production, contrasted with <i>P. kudriavzevii</i>’s efficiency in short-chain ester synthesis. Intraspecific aroma profile variations can be pointed out. The co-cultures of <i>P. kudriavzevii</i> and <i>S. cerevisiae</i> strains isolated from the premium chocolate batch had a positive impact on the fermented pulp aroma profile. Negative interactions were observed with <i>Torulaspora franciscae</i>, which eliminated <i>P. kudriavzevii</i>’s aroma expression. Finally, the comparison of the data obtained for the minimal cocoa pulp synthetic medium compared to the cocoa pulp allowed us to draw conclusions about the use of synthetic media for studying cocoa fermentation. These findings emphasize the complex microbial interactions in cocoa fermentation that could shape future cocoa bean aroma.
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series Fermentation
spelling doaj-art-4f144680fee0475fa9ce1b4f033bc91d2025-08-20T02:00:41ZengMDPI AGFermentation2311-56372024-12-01101266210.3390/fermentation10120662Influence of Yeast Interactions on the Fermentation Process and Aroma Production in Synthetic Cocoa Pulp vs. Real Mucilage MediaLydie Besançon0Da Lorn1Christelle Kouamé2Joël Grabulos3Marc Lebrun4Angélique Fontana5Sabine Schorr-Galindo6Renaud Boulanger7Caroline Strub8Alexandre Colas de la Noue9Qualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Avignon, Univ La Réunion, IRD, F-34398 Montpellier, FranceQualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Avignon, Univ La Réunion, IRD, F-34398 Montpellier, FranceQualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Avignon, Univ La Réunion, IRD, F-34398 Montpellier, FranceQualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Avignon, Univ La Réunion, IRD, F-34398 Montpellier, FranceQualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Avignon, Univ La Réunion, IRD, F-34398 Montpellier, FranceQualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Avignon, Univ La Réunion, IRD, F-34398 Montpellier, FranceQualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Avignon, Univ La Réunion, IRD, F-34398 Montpellier, FranceQualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Avignon, Univ La Réunion, IRD, F-34398 Montpellier, FranceQualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Avignon, Univ La Réunion, IRD, F-34398 Montpellier, FranceQualisud, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Institut Agro, Univ Avignon, Univ La Réunion, IRD, F-34398 Montpellier, FranceCocoa fermentation plays a key role in defining chocolate’s flavor, with yeasts being central to this process. This study aimed to explore intraspecific genetic diversity of major indigenous yeasts (i.e., <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> and <i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i>), and their potential interaction in the cocoa pulp environment. Their metabolic intraspecific diversity was characterized in synthetic cocoa pulp medium. Then, <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>, <i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i>, and other strains were introduced to each other to evaluate their potential negative interaction. Interesting strain associations were selected to further explore their interaction in synthetic cocoa pulp medium as well as real fresh cocoa pulp. From a fermentation campaign in Ivory Coast, a set of <i>Saccharomyces (S.) cerevisiae</i> and <i>Pichia (P.) kudriavzevii</i> strains were isolated from batches classified according to their chocolate quality (i.e., standard, intermediate, or premium chocolate). Less abundant species (i.e., <i>Torulaspora franciscae</i>, <i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i>) were also isolated and tested for their potential negative interactions with <i>S. cerevisiae</i> and <i>P. kudriavzevii</i>. A set of strains were selected and cultured in single and in co-culture in a minimal cocoa pulp synthetic medium and in fresh cocoa pulp to highlight potential positive and/or negative interactions regarding fermentative aroma profile (i.e., higher alcohols, acetate esters, medium-chain fatty acids, and ethyl esters). The results highlighted the dominance of <i>S. cerevisiae</i> in fermentation kinetics and medium- to long-chain ester production, contrasted with <i>P. kudriavzevii</i>’s efficiency in short-chain ester synthesis. Intraspecific aroma profile variations can be pointed out. The co-cultures of <i>P. kudriavzevii</i> and <i>S. cerevisiae</i> strains isolated from the premium chocolate batch had a positive impact on the fermented pulp aroma profile. Negative interactions were observed with <i>Torulaspora franciscae</i>, which eliminated <i>P. kudriavzevii</i>’s aroma expression. Finally, the comparison of the data obtained for the minimal cocoa pulp synthetic medium compared to the cocoa pulp allowed us to draw conclusions about the use of synthetic media for studying cocoa fermentation. These findings emphasize the complex microbial interactions in cocoa fermentation that could shape future cocoa bean aroma.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/10/12/662fermented cocoa pulphigher alcoholacetate and ethyl esters<i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i><i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i>co-culture
spellingShingle Lydie Besançon
Da Lorn
Christelle Kouamé
Joël Grabulos
Marc Lebrun
Angélique Fontana
Sabine Schorr-Galindo
Renaud Boulanger
Caroline Strub
Alexandre Colas de la Noue
Influence of Yeast Interactions on the Fermentation Process and Aroma Production in Synthetic Cocoa Pulp vs. Real Mucilage Media
Fermentation
fermented cocoa pulp
higher alcohol
acetate and ethyl esters
<i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>
<i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i>
co-culture
title Influence of Yeast Interactions on the Fermentation Process and Aroma Production in Synthetic Cocoa Pulp vs. Real Mucilage Media
title_full Influence of Yeast Interactions on the Fermentation Process and Aroma Production in Synthetic Cocoa Pulp vs. Real Mucilage Media
title_fullStr Influence of Yeast Interactions on the Fermentation Process and Aroma Production in Synthetic Cocoa Pulp vs. Real Mucilage Media
title_full_unstemmed Influence of Yeast Interactions on the Fermentation Process and Aroma Production in Synthetic Cocoa Pulp vs. Real Mucilage Media
title_short Influence of Yeast Interactions on the Fermentation Process and Aroma Production in Synthetic Cocoa Pulp vs. Real Mucilage Media
title_sort influence of yeast interactions on the fermentation process and aroma production in synthetic cocoa pulp vs real mucilage media
topic fermented cocoa pulp
higher alcohol
acetate and ethyl esters
<i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>
<i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i>
co-culture
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/10/12/662
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