1. Cocoa fermentation involves both anaerobic and aerobic phases. During the initial anaerobic phase, yeast converts pulp sugars into alcohol and lactic acid is formed. In the later aerobic phase, acetobacter bacteria transform the alcohol into acetic acid which penetrates the bean. 2. Cocoa pods are harvested twice annually by cutting from trees, breaking open, extracting seeds, and allowing seeds to ferment for 2-8 days before drying in the sun. 3. After drying, cocoa beans undergo processing including cleaning, roasting, grinding, and pressing to produce cocoa butter and cocoa powder which are used to make chocolate and other products.

1. Cocoa fermentation
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2. 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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3. 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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4. 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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5. Cocoa harvesting
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6. • 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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7. Pod break, Bean removal
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8. 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
• BasketR.Raga Madhuri

9. 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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10. • Box Tray Method: Use of wooden trays for drainage. It takes about
four days.
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11. • Basket Method: Use of wooden baskets with holes at the bottom.
It takes from three to five days.
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12. 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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13. From Cocoa Beans to the Bar
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14. 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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15. 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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16. 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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17. 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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18. 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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19. 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.
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