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Cocoa fermentation

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Cocoa fermentation

• Fermentation of pulp sugars: It takes place both in Anaerobic and Aerobic conditions:• 1- Anaerobic phase - first 48 hours (pulp does not allow

air circulation). • Yeast fermentation - pulp sugars are transformed to alcohol. (ethanol). • Temperature increasing – exothermic reaction. • Formation of lactic acid. • Pulp breaks down-drains away-air penetration. It takes place in both anaerobic and aerobic conditions

PULP composition: % Water 82-87 Sugars 10-13

Pentosans 2- 3 acid 1- 2 Salts 8-10

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2- Aerobic phase - day 3 onwards

• Aeration (drained pulp and turn after 48 hours) allows strong growth of Acetobacter (aerobic bacteria). • Acetobacter transforms alcohol to acetic acid. • Acetic acid penetrates into the bean and causes changes that lead to formation of chocolate flavour precursors.

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Cocoa Harvesting

• Two harvests are made annually :

• the main crop

• the intermediary crop (also called mid-crop)

• From fertilization to harvesting, the fruit requires 5 to 6 months. Harvest season lasts about 5 months.

• Harvesting cocoa :

• cutting the ripe pods from the trees

• breaking the pod (mostly with a machete)

• extracting the seeds from the pods

• allowing the seeds to ferment from 2 to 8 days

• drying in the sun

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Cocoa harvesting

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• A cocoa pod: has a rough leathery, firm outer covering (rind) about 3 cm thick (varies with the origin of pod) filled with sweet, mucilaginous pulp called “ baba de

cacao” in South America contains 30 to 50 large almond-like seeds fairly soft and pinkish or purplish in color

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Pod break, Bean removal

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Fermentation

Fermentation of cocoa beans :

• removes the mucilaginous pulp

• develops flavor and aroma precursors

• reduces bitterness

• kills the germ of the seed and loosens the testa . Standard methods adopted for fermentation:

• Heap

• Box Tray

• Basket

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Fermentation Methods

• Heap Method: Banana leaves are spread out over sticks a few inches above ground. It takes about six days to complete.

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• Box Tray Method: Use of wooden trays for drainage. It takes about four days.

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• Basket Method: Use of wooden baskets with holes at the bottom. It takes from three to five days.

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Drying and Storage

• Fermented beans can be dried either: • In the sun • Done in thin layers of 2 - 3 cm depth. • With stirring from time to time. • Properly dried beans produce a characteristic cracking sound upon

compressing a fistful of beans in the palm. • Or can scientifically use moisture meter to check dryness. • There is 6 -8% of moisture maintained by dried beans and should

be cleared before storage. • Dried beans are broken, shriveled and other extraneous material

removed. • Beans are packed into bags that are kept on a raised platform of

wooden planks for storage.

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  From Cocoa Beans to the Bar

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Uses of Cocoa Beans

Chocolate

• A common ingredient in many kinds of sweets, chocolate candy, ice creams, cookies, cakes, pies and desserts. • Food flavors, Easter eggs, coins for occasions,.

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Health Benefits of Cocoa and Chocolate

• Cocoa and dark chocolate may keep high blood pressure down and reduce the blood's ability to clot, thus the risk of stroke and heart attacks may be reduced.

• A 15-year study of elderly men published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2006 found a 50% reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 47% reduction in all-cause mortality for the men regularly consuming the most cocoa, compared to those consuming the least.

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Cleaning

• When seeds arrive to factory they are carefully selected and cleaned by passing through a bean cleaning machine that removes extraneous materials.

• Different bean varieties are blended to produce the typical flavor of chocolate of particular producer.

• Then the bean shells are cracked and removed.

• Crushed cocoa beans are called nibs.

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Roasting

• The beans are then roasted to develop the characteristic chocolate flavour of the bean in large rotary cylinders.

• The roasting lasts from 30 minutes to 2 hours at very high temperatures.

• The bean colour changes to a rich brown and the aroma of chocolate comes through. 

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Grinding

• The roasted nibs are milled through a process that liquefies the cocoa butter in the nibs and forms cocoa mass (or paste).

• This liquid mass has dark brown colour, typical strong smell and flavour and contains about 54% of cocoa butter

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Cocoa Pressing

• Part of cocoa mass is fed into the cocoa press which hydraulically squeezes a portion of the cocoa butter from the cocoa mass, leaving "cocoa cakes".

• The cocoa butter is used in the manufacture of chocolates; the remaining cakes of cocoa solids are pulverized into cocoa powders.