Occurrence of free fatty acids (FFA) in cocoa beans with various main geographical origin of Côte d'Ivoire in the climate change context

Aims: Free fatty acids (FFA) result from hydrolysis of cocoa butter triacylglycerides due to various abiotic and biotic factors. The resurgence of high FFA contents above 1.75% in cocoa beans depended on Ivorian geographical origin. High FFA contents have become a serious quality problem because they induced serious consequences for some beneficial properties of cocoa butter and chocolate. This study investigated the improvement of quality of Ivorian cocoa beans by reducing their FFA contents. Methodology: Samples: 240 cocoa beans batches were sampled from cocoa farmers of some big cocoa producing regions for their FFA contents analysis. Also, influence of primary post-harvest processing such as pod's sanitary status, pod opening delay, fermentation duration and dry cocoa beans storage under various relative humidity (RH) ranged 80-90% on FFA's formation of Ivorian cocoa beans was investigated. Data interpretations were performed according to the Fisher's test. Results: Main results showed that dry cocoa beans recorded FFA content varying from 0.99 to 14% in function of the geographical origin. Beside, 53% of tested cocoa bean samples exhibited FFA content up to 1.75%. Poor sanitary status of pods and 7-days fermented cocoa beans recorded FFA content above 1.75%. Dry cocoa beans stored at RH above 85% promoted more the FFA's formation (14%) than those stored under lower RH values. 53% of tested cocoa beans samples presented FFA contents up to 1.75%. Controlled primary post-harvest processing highlighted that poor sanitary status of pods, 7-days fermentation and storage of dry cocoa beans at RH above 85% lead to FFA content above 1.75%. Conclusion: So, in order to produce fermented and dried cocoa beans containing a suitable FFA content in the context of climate change, mitigation strategies need to integrate good crop conditions regarding postharvest processing and to improve beneficial ones.