Influence of the Cocoa Bean Variety on the Flavor Compound Composition of Dark Chocolates

Abstract

The flavor quality is often linked to the cocoa bean variety in the literature although the influence of the variety on the flavor compound composition of chocolate has not been studied comprehensively. To investigate this, dose-over-threshold (DoT) factors of flavor-active compounds in 16 dark chocolates were compared. The three Forastero chocolates were similar and characterized by high DoT factors of 3-methylbutanal, dimethyltrisulfane, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, phenylacetic acid, and linalool. However, the wide variations in the flavor compound profiles of the Criollo and Trinitario chocolates suggested that the variety is not the only determinant for the flavor compound composition of dark chocolates. Three Trinitario chocolates and a Criollo chocolate showed especially high DoT factors of fruity smelling esters and acetic acid while others showed similarities to the Forastero chocolates. However, the flavor compound compositions of the single-variety dark chocolates could at least be partly linked to the cocoa bean variety.