A study of fungal profiles of cocoa produced in Côte d’Ivoire in order to discover whether toxigenic and pathogenic moulds are present

Abstract

The degree of fermentation and incidence of contaminating fungi were determined in 90 raw cocoa bean
samples. Excessive moisture content and low percentages of brown beans are recorded in cocoa samples from
Soubré and Alépé, corresponding to maximum value of percentages of purple, mouldy and insect infested beans.
Differences in mould counts were detected in cocoa beans according to the producing regions; cocoa from
Alépé was most contaminated by moulds. Six fungi were commonly isolated that is, Absidia corymbifera,
Rhizopus oryzae, Aspergillus tubingensis, Aspergillus tamarii, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium chrysogenum.
Nearly all of the fungi recovered can be considered as storage fungi. Studies of cocoa samples revealed that raw
cocoa beans collected from Duékoué appeared to be of better quality than that from Alépé and Soubré.