Screening of lactic acid bacteria and yeast strains to select adapted anti-fungal co-cultures for cocoa bean fermentation.

Contamination with filamentous fungi during cocoa bean fermentation and drying reduces the quality of cocoa beans and poses a health risk for consumers due to the potential accumulation of mycotoxins. The aim of this study was to develop anti-fungal lactic acid bacteria (LAB)-yeast co-cultures by selecting anti-fungal strains best adapted to the cocoa bean fermentation process from 362 LAB and 384 yeast strains isolated from cocoa bean post-harvest processes. The applied multiphasic screening approach included anti-fungal activity tests in vitro and in vivo and assessment of the carbon metabolism and stress tolerance of the anti-fungal strains in a cocoa pulp simulation medium.