Marqueurs de la qualité aromatique du cacao. Influence de l'origine. Renforcement de l'arôme d'origine thermique

The flavour profile of merchantable cocoa beans from five different producing countries was characterized before and after roasting. Flavour profile consists in the determination of the GC profile, the identification of the volatile compounds (GC-MS) and of the potent-odour compounds ("sniffing technic"), and the characterization of the organoleptical profile (tasting). The same volatile compounds were found in the studied cocoa samples, the contents of which depend on cocoa origin. Likewise, the aroma impact of potent-odour compounds (AEDA method) is related to origin. The study of blends of Ghanaian and Madagascan cocoas (0 to 100%) shows that adding up to 20% of one cocoa into the other one does not really modify the flavour profile. Adding more than 30% results in a new flavour profile. Sulawesian cocoa aroma was improved using a previous addition of fructose and amino acids into nibs before roasting. Optimal conditions were established to obtain the formation of a thermal-generated aroma equivalent to that of a Ghanaian cocoa.