The10th edition of the “Round Table Cocoa” conference offered a true bounty of high-quality presentations covering the entire sector, from soil quality to growth factors, post-harvest ­handling, storage and transport. The experts and scientists presented the latest research findings in relation to deciphering the most important factors for cocoa bean quality.

By Alfons Strohmaier

This important anniversary for the event was very special for Dr Daniel Kadow (August Storck KG), the Programme Director of the Round Table Cocoa conference in Hamburg, and Aldo Cristiano, the Chairman of the German Cocoa and Chocolate Industry Foundation. Ori-ginally initiated years ago by Prof. Reinhard Lieberei as a small discussion group, the conference has developed in the meantime into an important two-day event bringing together researchers and scientists from acclaimed universities. Dr Kadow was particularly pleased that the event could be held in person again this year. Under the title “Unravelling Key Drivers and their Impact on Cocoa Bean Quality”, over a dozen experts presented the latest findings and studies on everything from cocoa farming to post-harvest, transport and storage. The presentations were framed by highly interesting poster presentations, which were consistently moved around during the breaks.

As accustomed, this year’s Round Table was characterized by numerous questions and a very lively debate, which also continued within the framework of the panel discussion. The attendees agreed that additional interdisciplinary approaches and research projects are needed to shape cocoa bean and chocolate quality and to be able to answer the persistently difficult questions regarding the origin genotype of cocoa beans. It was also clearly pointed out that along with the collaboration and network of science, chocolate manufacturers and politics in the world’s industrial countries, greater social effort is also necessary in order to additionally transfer the findings and results to small farmers in the cultivating countries.

“There is a big knowledge gap to the farmers that we urgently need to close”, emphasized Prof. Ken Giller from Wageningen University in the discussion at the end of the event. In his opening speech he noted that soils can be exhausted, and this can lead to cocoa trees producing a smaller harvest. The CocoaSoils regeneration programme is aimed at improving the limited knowledge regarding how to improve farming operations to achieve greater harvest potential and the income of the farmers. The programme also seeks to achieve zero emissions, to prevent further deforestation and to preserve biodiversity.

Claudia Delbaere, Managing Director of Cacaolab bv, and Jocelyn De Wever, an expert in genotyping at Ghent University, each dedicated their presentation to genotype plasticity and the influence of fermentation processes on genetic functions and biological processes in cocoa beans. The findings show that tasting forms a complex combination of smell, taste and trigeminal sensitivities that are influenced by tactile, thermal or kinaesthetic effects. The studies also focus on the distinction between how strong the initial aroma of the beans is altered in fine flavour cocoa like Nacional in Ecuador and the bulk cocoa from CCN51 as a result of the different fermentation methods such as in piles together with banana leaves, in a basket, in a wooden box, in jute bags or in plastic buckets.

The presentations that followed saw microbiologist Prof. Stefan Weckx (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) and Stefanie Streule from the ZHAW Life Sciences and Facility Management research group examining food biotechnology from a variety of perspectives, particularly cocoa fermentation. Weckx uses metagenomic sequencing to study the change in the individual cocoa varieties in fermentation processes in various containers and is preparing fine-scale monitoring of the starter cultures. Streule reported on her journey through Ecuador, where she researched things such as temperature development in different fermentation containers. She maintained that functional, antifungal starter cultures developed in the laboratory should be used directly where they are developed. The initial optimization mea-sures are promising, she said. The greatest challenge, however, is familiarizing the cocoa farmers with this knowledge against the backdrop of the complex reality in the farming countries.

How networking and cooperation with industry can work and lead to important research plans was discussed by Viktoria Cvetkovic from AiF (Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen e. V.) and Dr Martin Steinhaus from the Leibniz Institute for Food System Biology at the Technical University of Munich, along with Hauke Will from Ritter Sport and Dr Christina Rohsius (JR Schokoladenfabrik) during a lively and stimulating panel discussion. Mr Will stated: “Science has many tools, but that’s not enough. We have to bring the whole thing to life.” The necessary knowledge transfer to the farmers was also emphasized here.

Dr Steinhaus conducts molecular biological research on key aroma compounds. At the Round Table Cocoa in 2015, he “coincidentally” found out about the major problem of off-flavours during a break-time discussion. This eventually led him to his sponsored project identifying atypical aroma notes in cocoa and the molecules behind them, and how they form during the post-harvest process. The unanimous opinion of the discussion concluded that to produce further improvements, now an interdisciplinary follow-up project should use micro and molecular biology and the database of the system biologists to examine when, where and how the off-flavours form.

The anniversary event wrapped up with a chocolate tasting session focused on the molecular aroma and taste composition of a selection of small batch chocolate with Prof. Irene Chetschik and Karin Chatelain from ZHAW, along with excellent presentations by Prof. Markus Fischer (University of Hamburg) on food authentication for detecting food fraud, and by Andreas Dunkel from the Leibniz Institute for Food System Biology at the Technical University of Munich on a holistic, integrative approach to modelling the quality of cocoa beans and chocolate.

Previously, Prof. Priscilla Efraim from the University of Campinas demonstrated the differences in cocoa bean quality in cocoa butter. Dr Fiona Lahive from the University of Reading reported on a pioneering study in which the scientists simulated the effects of climate change and higher temperatures on cocoa physiology. The main research question is how the individual genotypes could react to the changes.

Finn Börnsen, Managing Director of Vollers Group in Bremen/Germany discussed the various possibilities and current challenges for transport and storage of cocoa beans, also in light of the fact that transport and delivery times by sea have recently become much longer. Mr Börnsen presented GrainPro TranSafeliner, currently the most modern equipment for the protection of dried agricultural goods.•