Christina Rohsius

Rausch GmbH · Cacao and Research

More than 1000 different cacao varieties are described. Only few are considered as fine or flavour cocoas, meaning they have the potential to develop special flavour characteristics after appropriate fermentation and drying. It is assumed that aroma compounds located in the fruit pulp migrate into the seed during fermentation. We studied the fine a...

In the present technological context, the identification of substances that contribute to the quality of dry cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) beans is as important as the agricultural practices and processing of cacao beans for food safety and marketing. The objective of this study was investigating the influence of cropping sites, represented by differe...

Producing cocoa of highest quality and high in fine and flavour aroma includes well adapted and executed post-harvest management. Unfortunately, flavour can be negatively affected at every step of the producing and processing chain. For the responsible person it is in many cases difficult to work out why the presented cocoa does not fit the reques...

Phenolic compounds contribute substantially to the quality of cocoa. In the present study the storage of polyphenols in ripe cocoa seed cotyledons from different genetic origins is compared via light microscopy. Besides, polyphenol accumulation is observed in maturing cocoa cotyledon tissues. About 10 % of the cocoa cotyledon parenchyma is formed b...

The detailed description of growth stages of useful plants followed by adequate codification facilitates communication between scientists and practicians if, for example, new findings of science have to be transferred to management procedures or if experiences made at one growing site have to be adapted to another. We describe the growth stages of...

The German Cocoa and Chocolate Foundation strives to continually improve the knowledge and expertise surrounding all aspects on cocoa. The COCOA ATLAS was compiled on the basis of a project undertaken at the Cocoa-Research Group of the Biocenter Klein-Flottbeck, University of Hamburg, Germany, in scientific cooperation with the Food Chemistry Insti...

Phenolic compounds contribute to the quality of raw cocoa, the basis of all chocolate products. Detailed research is needed about the variability of these substances in unprocessed cocoa seed and during seed processing. For the present study, seed samples of Upper Amazon Forastero, Lower Amazon Forastero, Nacional, Criollo and Trinitario from diffe...

The present study aimed at developing temporary immersion bioreactor techniques for multiplication of cacao somatic embryos. Temporary Immersion System (TIS), i.e. flooding of plant tissue at regular time intervals provides an efficient way to propagate plants. Somatic embryos were regenerated in twin flask bioreactors. The TIS proved to be suitabl...

Rohkakao ist ein sehr gefragter biologischer Rohstoff. Er unterliegt hinsichtlich Anbau, Aufarbeitung und Transport unterschiedlichsten Einflussgrößen. Die biologischen Hintergründe der Kakaoqualität sind trotz intensiver Analyse bis heute nur unvollständig bekannt. Ein wesentlicher Ansatz zur wissenschaftlichen Differenzierung des Rohstoffes ist...

Polyphenols were analysed at 280 nm by HPLC device using a Photodiode Array Detector (PDA). Anthocyanins were separated with the SEP-PAK Vac 6cc 1000 mg (Waters) column and measured at 520 nm with a PDA. Nineteen cacao clones from Cameroon genebank were analysed. Fresh and fermented-like seeds were used. Two main polyphenols were present in our sam...

Raw cocoa is the processed and traded form of the cocoa seed. Fresh seeds undergo fermentation and a drying process before they are prepared for transport and shipping. Depending on the local situation in the producer region the seeds are collected from big estates and are fermented and dried in big lots or they originate from small farmer's crop t...

The cocoa relatives T grandiflorum (cupuaçu) and T bicolor (macambo) are promising crop plants for sustainable agroforestry in the Amazon region of South America. The market for cupuaçu is expanding since the fruit flesh is utilised by the foodstuffs industry. Attempts to commercialise chocolate-like wares from the seeds have failed so far because...