Abstract
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by fungi species causing adverse human and animals health effects. Free fatty acids (FFA) are carboxilic acids from hydrolysis of triacylglycerides of cocoa butter due to lipolytic molds acitivity. This study investigated the ability of two Bacillus species to control both the OTA and FFA in dry fermented cocoa beans by inhibiting mold growth. Fourteen Bacillus species isolated from both fermented African locust seeds (9) and cocoa beans (5) were identified using molecular tools. Antifungal activity of Bacillus species against the growth of a OTA producing Aspergillus carbonarius strain were highlighted. The suspensions of Bacillus strains cells adjusted to 108 CFU.mL-1 were separately inoculated to 80 kg of fresh cocoa beans from 0-, 4-, 7- and 10-days cocoa pods opening delays. Cocoa fermentation lasted 6] days with two turnings at 48 and 96] hours of the process. Fermented cocoa beans were sun-dried until to 7-8% moisture. FFA and OTA of cocoa beans were quantified by Association of Of- ficical Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and High-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FD) methods respectively. Main results highlighted that Bacillus halotolerans and B. thuringiensis strain ATCC 10792 were greater antifungal than B. paramycoides, B. subtilis Subsp subtilis, B. subtilis, B. albus, B. thuringiensis strain IAM 12077. Their inoculation to cocoa beans dur- ing spontaenously fermentation totally removed OTA and strongly reduced FFA content. This study indicates that Bacillus species could be applied as promising biological agents to improve the microbiological quality, to removal of OTA from dry fermented cocoa beans and to reduce their FFA content.