Fermentation-Driven Valorization of Cashew Apple: Combined Influence of Terroir, Fruit Phenotype, and Clarification Level on Microbial and Biochemical Composition

This study provides an integrated assessment of how terroir, fruit phenotype, and clarification level jointly influence the microbial and biochemical composition during the fermentation of cashew apple, a tropical fruit with high valorization potential. Three processing matrices (pulp, juice, and clarified juice) were fermented spontaneously, and cultivable microbial diversity was identified using Nanopore sequencing, while sugars, organic acids, and polyphenols were quantified by HPLC. While fruit phenotype had no significant effect (at the 5% level) on the biochemical composition, terroir significantly affected pH, titratable acidity, condensed tannins, ascorbic acid, and flavonoid levels. Microbial community dynamics evolved over time. At 24 h, no significant differences in bacterial or fungal composition were observed across terroirs or phenotypes. However, by 48 h, bacterial diversity increased, while fungal profiles remained relatively stable. The dominant bacterial genera were Lactiplantibacillus, Leuconostoc, Weissella, Acetobacter, and Gluconobacter, while the predominant fungal taxa included Hanseniaspora, Pichia, and one or more genera belonging to the order Saccharomycetales. These findings highlight how agroenvironmental factors and minimal processing conditions can shape the fermentation process and open avenues for developing fermented cashew apple–based beverages with improved nutritional and sensory qualities.