Impact of fermentation and drying on the bioactive compounds and physicochemical properties of four cacao genotypes in Northwestern Peru

Cocoa is a crop of worldwide relevance due to its economic importance for the benefits offered by its bioactive compounds. This research aimed to evaluate changes in physicochemical properties and bioactive compounds during fermentation and drying of four cacao genotypes in northwestern Peru. The experimental design was completely randomized bifactorial, considering genotype and evaluation time as factors, with independent analyses for fermentation and drying, with three replicates per treatment. During fermentation, a significant decrease in bioactive compounds was observed. pH and titratable acidity varied significantly during fermentation, drying, and among genotypes, with pH peaking at 48 h of fermentation and 120 h of drying before declining. Titratable acidity showed an inverse trend. Lightness (L∗) increased slightly at 48 h across all genotypes before decreasing. Phenolic compounds changed significantly during fermentation, with TSH-565 exhibiting the highest initial levels of gallic acid (0.0749 mg/g) and epigallocatechin (1.31 mg/g), while Criollo (CAP-39) had the highest initial concentrations of caffeic acid (10.94 mg/g), epicatechin (8.19 mg/g), and quercetin (19.06 mg/g). Methylxanthine content also varied significantly, with CAP-39 showing higher theobromine (23.37 mg/g) at 24 h, and TSH exhibiting higher theophylline and caffeine levels. Antioxidant capacity declined during fermentation and drying, with ICS-6 showing the greatest anthocyanin, tannin, and flavonoid losses. Overall, genotype and post-harvest processing conditions strongly influence cocoa bioactive compound stability. •The genotypes presented different percentages of degradation of their compounds according to the genotype. • During the fermentation process, the compounds showed a greater tendency to degradation. • The ICS-6 genotype presented higher titratable acidity content in both. • Flavonoids increased during the fermentation process in TSH-565.