Variation of triacylglycerol profiles in unfermented and dried fermented cocoa beans of different origins

Fermentation and drying are the two crucial processing steps required to produce cocoa beans with desired properties, especially taste and flavor. To understand their impact on the lipid profile of cocoa, the lipid composition of unfermented raw and fermented dried beans from six different origins was investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods. While the comparison of triacylglycerol profiles across the different origins showed only small variations in individual compound concentrations, the comparison along the fermentation status showed major differences regarding the occurrence of polar lipids. These compounds may serve as biomarkers for the fermentation status of the beans and a simple analytical method suitable for field trials is proposed. Finally, a hypothesis identifying key unsaturated triacylglycerols contributing to the hardness and softness of cocoa butter is presented. [Display omitted] •TAG profile of unfermented cocoa beans versus fermented dried beans was compared.•12 key TAGs are responsible for the samples separation on a PCA.•The softness of cocoa butter is measured by the sum of four di-unsaturated TAGs.•Unusual TAGs are identified as markers of the fermentation and drying processes.•TLC is an outstanding analytical test to detect the biomarkers of fermentation.