Investigation of flavour defects in Asian cocoa liquors

The role of individual organic acids in relation to the excessive acidity exhibited by Asian cocoa liquors has been investigated. Volatile fatty acids (other than acetic) did not affect significantly either acidity scores or liquor pH. Variations in levels of specific water soluble, acids, viz. lactic, citric and acetic, were found to be particularly important in accounting for differences in both acidity scores and pH values between Asian liquors and a West African liquor. However, only when adjustments were made for differences in levels of total water‐soluble acids between the liquors did sensory scores for acidity and pH values achieve parity. Volatile flavour analysis using headspace sampling techniques indicated that 2‐phenylethyl acetate and, to a lesser extent, linalool were important contributors to the fruity flavour attribute exhibited by Asian cocoa liquors.