Caracterización organoléptica del cacao ecuatoriano: una revisión de la influencia del genotipo, ambiente y manejo poscosecha

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is a crop of considerable economic and cultural importance, and fine-flavor cocoa represents a differentiated market segment due to the complexity of its sensory profiles. Ecuador holds a prominent position in this segment, particularly because of Nacional cocoa, which is recognized for its floral and fruity attributes. The objective of this qualitative literature review was to analyze the organoleptic characterization of Ecuadorian cocoa in relation to genotype, agroecological conditions, and postharvest management. The literature was identified through a structured search of Scopus, ScienceDirect, and PubMed, updated through September 2026, and complemented with relevant background sources to contextualize and compare the findings. The results show that genotype establishes a sensory potential whose expression is influenced by environmental conditions and postharvest processing. Nacional cocoa and its derivatives were mainly associated with floral and fruity profiles, whereas CCN-51 more frequently exhibited cocoa, bitterness, and astringency attributes. Fermentation and drying were key stages in the development and modification of the sensory profile. Compounds associated with quality included aldehydes, esters, alcohols, and pyrazines, related to floral, fruity, cocoa, and roasted notes, whereas polyphenols and methylxanthines were mainly associated with bitterness and astringency. The integration of sensory and instrumental methods enabled associations to be established between chemical composition and sensory perception. Overall, the evidence indicates that the organoleptic quality of Ecuadorian cocoa results from the combined influence of genotype, agroecological conditions, and postharvest management. These findings provide criteria for optimizing processing and strengthening the differentiation of Ecuadorian cocoa in specialty markets, while highlighting the need to standardize sensory protocols and conduct multilocation and multiyear studies to assess the stability of quality attributes.