High Free Fatty Acids (FFA) content in fermented and dry cocoa beans with various cocoa producing geographical location of Côte d'Ivoire in the climate change context

Aims: Cocoa beans sourced from Côte d'Ivoire faces more and more to the high FFA contents. Yet, generation of FFA levels degrades beneficial rheological properties of cocoa butter and chocolate. This study investigated the factors that potentially promote the increase of high FFA contents of Ivorian cocoa beans. 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 cocoa pods promotes the formation of FFA. Interacting poor sanitary status of pods with long fermentation provoked occurrence of FFA concentration above 1.75%. However, the fermentation duration of cocoa beans from healthy pods had no effect on the changes of FFA content. The FFA content of beans increases greater with both the duration of cocoa fermentation and storage of dry cocoa beans at RH above 85% up to FFA content above 1.75%. Conclusion: So, in order to produce fermented and dry cocoa beans containing low and suitable FFA contents in the context of climate change, mitigation strategies need to integrate good crop conditions regarding postharvest processing and to improve beneficial ones.