Identification of Microorganisms Involved in Cocoa Fermentation in Togo and Evaluation of Their Impact on the Quality of the Derived Product

Aims: To identify the microorganisms involved in spontaneous cocoa fermentation in Togo and to evaluate their impact on the quality of the derived product. Place and Duration of Study: Laboratory of Microbiology and Food Quality Control (LAMICODA), University of Lomé, Togo and Laboratory of Biomedical, Food and Environmental Health Sciences (LaSBASE), Higher School of Biological and Food Techniques (ESTBA), University of Lomé, Togo between January 2023 and July 2025. Methodology: Spontaneous fermentations were carried out at two cocoa production sites in the Kloto region: Gadza-Wukpe and Tove Atsave. Characteristic colonies were isolated and subjected to standard biochemical identification tests. The selected strains were then used for controlled laboratory fermentations. The beans obtained from adding selected strains to fermentation start, were subjected to organoleptic analysis and an evaluation of their commercial quality based on international standards. Results: Microbiological analyses made it possible to isolate 27 strains among the mesophilic aerobic flora, yeasts and molds and lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genera Saccharomyces, Lactobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, Pichia, Weisselia, Kluyveromyces, Leuconostoc, Enterococcus. Conclusion: As a perspective, the standardization of fermentation processes will allow to produce derived products, particularly chocolate and roasted cocoa beans of better and constant quality.