1. KERALA AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, VELLAYANI
Processing and value addition of Cocoa
PRAVEEN GIDAGIRI
2021-22-007
Ph.D. (Hort.) Post Harvest Technology
2. Scientific Name : Theobroma cacao
Family: Sterculiaceae (Malvaceae)
Cr. No.: 2n=20
Origin : Amazon region of South America
INTRODUCTION
Theobroma is the name given by Linnaeus meaning “Food of the
Gods” (Greek name Theos = Gods and Broma = Food) to the chocolate
tree cocoa.
3. Area and production of cocoa in India
Source : National Horticulture Board
2018-19 2019-20 (2nd advance estimate)
Area (000 Ha) Production (000 MT) Area (000 Ha) Production (000 MT)
94 24 98 26
2021-22 (1st advance estimate)
Sr No. State Production (000 Tonnes) Share(%)
1 Andhra Pradesh 11.40 40.28
2 Kerala 10.10 35.69
3 Karnataka 3.90 13.78
4 Tamil Nadu 2.90 10.25
Page Total 28.30
4. State Area (ha)
Production
(MT)
Productivity
(Kg/ha)
Andhra Pradesh 39714 10903.20 950
Kerala 17366 9647.40 850
Karnataka 14216 3719.10 525
Tamil Nadu 32080 2802.45 350
Total 97,563 27072.15 669
Cocoa Area, Production and Productivity for the year 2020-21
Source : Directorate of Cashew nut and Cocoa Development
5. Export
Cocoa is an export oriented commodity. In India, at present there are 10
multinational companies engaged in the field of cocoa industry and exports
products like Beans, chocolates, cocoa butter, cocoa powder and cocoa based
products to other countries. India earns foreign exchange worth Rs. 1108cores
through exports of cocoa bean and its products.
Import
The demand of chocolate industry and confectionaries in India is 50,000
MT of dry bean per annum. The current domestic production of cocoa beans is not
sufficient to meet the demand of the industry. Hence India is importing a lion share
of its requirement from other cocoa growing countries worth Rs.2021crores.
6. Year
Export Import
Quantity Value Quantity Value
2020-21 25,768 1108.38 89,060 2020.98
2019-20 28,259 1,274.34 85,276 1,833.974
2018-19 27,607 1,350.86 87,595 1,845.888
2017-18 29,583 1,144.373 71,822 1,473.09
2016-17 25,700 1,089.987 63,613 1,542.307
2015-16 32,634 1,266.994 56,425 1,398.910
2014-15 20,878 848.657 65,311 1,551.090
2013-14 16,229 573.217 51,627 1,071.549
2012-13 19,084 293.921 53,031 1,049.249
2011-12 16,679 175.976 50,760 934.322
Export and Import of Cocoa and Cocoa preparations
Quantity in MT
Value - Rs. in Crores
Source : Directorate of Cashew nut and Cocoa Development
10. Year Domestic Price International Price
2021 170 181
2020 175 174
2019 200 141
2018 190 159
2017 205 134
2016 225 178
2015 210 201
2014 190 215
2013 126 152
2012 127 130
Domestic and International Price of Cocoa beans
(Price Rs./Kg)
Source : Directorate of Cashew nut and Cocoa Development
11. • Used as beverage
• A palatable product is prepared by mixing ground roasted beans with sugar
and Vanilla.
• In the manufacture of milk chocolate
(The process was discovered by M.D. Peter m Switzerland in 1876)
• Cocoa butter is used in pharmaceutical preparations.
• The cocoa shell (Testa) is used in stock feed or as-manure.
• Shell is a source of Theobromine, shell fat and Vitamin D
• The pods contain a high level of potash that is used in soap production (Bart-
Plange and Baryeh, 2003)
USES
12. Varieties
There are three varietal types in cocoa namely Criollo, Forastero and
Trinitario. Forastero types are known to perform well under Indian conditions.
Criollo:
Pods yellow or red when ripe, usually deeply furrowed, seeds large, plumpy and
almost round in cross-section; cotyledons white or pale-violet. Beans ferment quickly,
comparatively low yield.
13. Forastero:
Unripe pods are whitish or green and turn yellow on ripening, surface
often smooth, ends rounded or very bluntly pointed, pod walls relatively thick.
Fresh cotyledons deeply pigmented and dark violet cross-section;
usually giving an astringent product. These are hardier, more vigorous and
higher yielding than criollo types.
14. Trinitario:
These are hybrid populations result from natural crosses between criollo and
forastero types. Colour of unripe pod may be whitish, green, red, variable in shape and
wall thickness, surface ranging from smooth to warty; beans plump to flat; pigmentation
of cotyledons white to nearly black.
15. Sl.
No.
Variety Characteristics
CPCRI, Regional station, Vittal, Karnataka
1 VTLCH-1 Yield- 50 pods/tree/year, pods are 350 gram weight with 40 beans/pod, 54 % fat,
suitable for chocolate industry.
2 VTLCH-2
3 VTLCH-3 Yield- 41 pods/tree/year, pods are 440 gram weight with 40 beans/pod, 54 % fat,
suitable for chocolate industry.
4 VTLCH-4
5 VTLCH-5 Yield- 66 pods/tree/year, pods are 400-450 gram weight with 43 beans/pod, 52
% fat, suitable for chocolate industry.
6 VTLCC-1 Yield- 55 pods/tree/year, pods are 350 gram weight with 35 beans/pod, 50 % fat.
Suitable for HDP.
7 VTLCS-1 Yield- 55 pods/tree/year, pods are 360 gram weight with 42 beans/pod, 52 % fat.
8 VTLCS-2 Yield- 55 pods/tree/year, pods are 400 gram weight with 41 beans/pod, 53 % fat.
Cadbury-Cocoa Research Project, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala
1 CCRP I Tree yields 56 pods /year, with an yield potential of 72 pods.
2 CCRP II Tree yields 54 pods /tree /year.
3 CCRP III It yields 68 pods per tree with 42 beans /pod.
4 CCRP IV Tree yields 66 pods/ year with a yield potential of 93 pods. Mature pods weigh
402 g with 45 beans
16. 5 CCRP V
High yield, tolerant to vascular streak die back under field conditions
6 CCRP VI
7 CCRP VII
8 CCRP VIII
9 CCRP IX
10 CCRP X
17. WHY COCOA IS PROCESSED ?
• Raw cocoa is bitter, astringent and devoid of chocolate flavour
• The original taste, flavour and colour of the chocolate are due to
the interplay of about 600 different chemicals developed during
processing
• Biochemical processes for development of chocolate flavour start
during fermentation and continue during drying, roasting and
conching.
18. Harvesting
• Cocoa produces flowers from the 3rd year of planting onwards and economic yield
starts from 5th year.
• Properly well maintained (irrigation/ nutrient management) tree yielded 1-2 kg of pods /
tree/ year. Pods take about 140 – 160 days to ripen.
• Generally, cocoa gives two main crops in a year, i.e. September – January and June to
August. Offseason crops may be seen throughout the year especially under irrigated
condition.
• The stage of maturity of the pod is best judged by change of color of pods. Pods that are
green when immature turn yellow when mature and reddish pods turn yellow or orange.
The change in color starts from the grooves on the pods and then spreads to the entire
surface. .
• The harvesting is to be done at regular intervals of 10 -15 days. Avoid over ripening of
pods.
Yield: 50-70 pods/tree/year
20. • The pods are heaped together and kept under shade for 5-6 days to ensure
uniform ripening. This reduces acidity and helps in development of a better
flavor suited for chocolate making.
• Cocoa pods are collected at a central location, where pods are broken, husks
removed and the white-yellowish seed masses are heaped together for
fermentation.
• Fermentation takes about 5 to 7 days, depending on the season and temperature.
Farmers sometimes mix the heap on the 2nd or 3rd day, to allow for aeration
and a more uniform fermentation
21. • For breaking the pods, wooden billets may be used. After breaking the pods
crosswise, the placenta should be removed together with husk and the beans
are collected for fermentation.
• On an average 10-12 pods give 1 kg wet beans
• 3 kg of wet beans (from 30-36 pods) give 1 kg of fermented and dried beans.
• Under normal cultivation practices, each cocoa tree yields about 1-2 kg
annually.
22. Wooden billet
Pods are heaped (5-6 days) Removal of beans from pod
Fermentation
Drying Beans mixed
23. Processing of cocoa beans
Multi staged processing
Primary processing
1. Wet beans are fermented & dried
Secondary processing
2.Dried beans to cocoa mass &
3.Cocoa mass to cocoa butter & powder
Tertiary processing
1. Making chocolate/other products
24. Fermentation
Fermentation of cocoa beans is essential to remove the adhering mucilaginous
pulp to develop flavor and aroma precursors, reduce bitterness and kill the germ
of the seed and to loosen the testa. The process is simple but must be carried
out properly in order to get beans for good quality.
The pulp of common grades (Forastero) is allowed to ferment for five to seven
days, and the pulp of the more distinctively flavored grades (Criollo) for one to
three days.
Frequent turnings dissipate excess heat and provide uniformity.
The beans become plump and full of moisture, and the interior develops a
reddish brown colour and a heavy, sharp fragrance.
The fermented beans are sun-dried or kiln-dried to reduce moisture content to 6–
7 percent and bagged for shipment
25. During fermentation cells of pulp start to break down and watery
content of pulp flows out known as ‘sweating’. The flow of sweating is
normally completed with in first 24-36 hours of fermentation.
Biochemical changes during fermentation
• Pulp contain water (80%), sugar (10-15%) & citric acid (0.5 %)
• Yeast convert sugar to alcohol & produce CO2, induces anaerobic conditions
• This allows development of lactic acid bacteria that assist in breakdown of
sugars.
• Activity of yeasts lead to production of CO2 – induces anaerobic conditions
• This allows development of lactic acid bacteria that assist in breakdown of
sugars
26. • When sweatings have run off, conditions become more aerobic – Bacteria
convert alcohol to acetic acid
• Temperature rises up to 40 – 45 ºC.
• Rise in temperature and acidity cause death of beans followed by loss in
selective permeability of membrane – diffusion of materials occur from
outside into beans.
• Polyphenol and lipid membranes of vacuoles break down – various
enzymatic reactions take place
• As a result, bitter taste is removed from beans
• Volatile compounds produced from reaction of amino acids with sugars lead
to induction of aroma
27. Different methods of fermentation normally followed are
1. Heap method
2. Box method
3. Basket method
4. Tray method
28. 1. HEAP METHOD
This method involves keeping a mass of not less than 50 kg of wet beans over a layer of
banana leaves.
The banana leaves are spread over a few sticks to keep them a little raised over the
ground level to facilitate the flow of sweating.
The leaves are folded and kept over a heap of beans and a few wooden pieces kept over it
to keep the leaves in position.
The heaps are dismantled and the beans mixed the third and fifth days.
It needs about six days for the completion of fermentation and the beans can be taken out
for drying on the seventh day.
Even though the minimum quantity of beans required for effective fermentation is 50 kg.
a further increase in quantity of beans in a heap will be beneficial. However, heaps of
more than about 500 kg may be difficult to handle.
29.
30. 2. Box method
The boxes of 60 cm X 60 cm X 45 cm made of wood and having reapers at the bottom
to allow the sweating from the pulp to drain out and provide aeration are used.
The boxes could be arranged in tiers for transferring beans from one to the next in line
below.
Two detachable wooden planks are provided on one side of the box for transferring
(mixing) the beans by removing the planks.
The beans are loaded on fermentation box and covered with banana leaves or gunny
bags.
The mixing of beans is effected while transferring to the next box after 24 hours.
The temperature of the fermentation mass will rise to 45 – 55 ºC after about 48 hours of
fermentation.
Every alternate day the beans under fermentation have to be properly mixed for uniform
fermentation. This has to be continued for 6 days.
31.
32. 3. Basket methods
In this method, Bamboo or cane baskets of suitable size could be used for fermenting
small quantity of beans.
One or two layers of banana leaves are placed at the bottom with provision to drain the
sweating.
The basket is filled with the beans and the surface is covered with banana leaves.
A small weight is placed over the banana leaves.
The basket is placed over a raised surface to facilitate drainage of the sweating for one
day.
Later the basket is covered with thick gunny bags.
The beans are mixed thoroughly on the 3rd and 5th days and again covered with gunny
bags.
The fermentation will be completed at the end of 6th day and the beans withdrawn for
drying.
33.
34. Wooden trays of size 90 cm x 60 cm x 13 cm with battens or reapers fixed at the
bottom with gaps in between, are filled with beans.
Each tray can contain about 45 kg wet beans.
Six such trays are stacked one over the other and an empty tray is kept at the bottom to
allow for drainage of sweating.
After stacking, the beans of the top most tray are kept covered with banana leaves.
After 24 hours of setting the stack of trays is kept covered with gunny sacking to
conserve the heat that develops.
There is no need for mixing the beans and fermentation will be completed in four days.
On the fifth day the beans can be taken out for drying.
The minimum number of trays required to be stacked is about six but as many as 12
trays can be used simultaneously.
4. Tray method
35.
36. End point of fermentation
• Well fermented beans will be plumpy and filled with reddish brown exudates.
• The testa becomes loosened from the cotyledons.
• When cut open, the cotyledons will have a brownish colored with lots of
ridges and furrow appearance in the centre with a brownish ring in the
periphery.
• Shell surface attain reddish brown colour
• When above 50 per cent beans in a lot show the above signs, it can be
considered as properly fermented.
38. Factors affecting fermentation
1. Ripeness of pods: Avoid use of over ripe pods
2. Pod diseases
3. Type of cocoa: Criollo gets fermented in a shorter period of 2-3 days
Forastero takes 5-7 days
4.Quantity of cocoa : At least 50 kg is required for retaining the heat generated
5. Duration: Ranges from 1.5 to 10 days
6. Turning: Frequent mixing (6 or 12 hour intervals) produced higher number of
well fermented beans
7. Seasonal effects: Fermentation during dry season is better than in wet season
39. Drying
During fermentation the cocoa flavor develops and the beans turn brown. After
fermentation, the beans can be dried by sun drying. The fermented cocoa beans have
considerable moisture (55 -69 %) and the drying rate is depend upon temperature and the
airflow.
Sun drying (thin layers of 2 - 3 cm depth) should be adopted as far as
possible, as it gives superior quality produce compared to that by artificial drying. The
moisture content of well dried beans is around 6 – 7 %. Slow drying is preferable for
better quality of the beans. Drying completed in 4-5 days.
40. • Avoid exposure of beans to smoke and fumes when using mechanical drying
• Maximum permissible temperature : 60º C
• When the beans are dried properly- a characteristic cracking sound on
compressing a fistful of beans in the palm.
• Scientific method : Moisture meter.
41. • In order to increase the appearance of the beans it is polished during drying
operation.
• The beans are polished by using rotary type dryer or a special polishing
machine which is similar to grain mixer when the shell of the cocoa is hard.
• Polishing helps in protecting the fungal attack during storage and helps in
improving the external appearance.
Polishing
42. Cleaning
• After drying and polishing, the beans are cleaned of any extraneous matter
and packed in food safe jute bags.
• The flat, slate, shriveled, broken and other extraneous materials are removed.
43. Grading
• Grading is done via a mechanical grader which uses a gradation of different sized
mesh sheets around a rotating cylindrical with helical screw inside to convey the
wheels.
• During grading, first broken pieces of beans and shell fragments are removed, next
flagged beans are removed, then small beans and finally large grade I beans.
• There are 3 grades of cocoa beans established by the Cocoa and coffee Industry Board:
Grade I, Grade II and defective.
• Grade I has a bean count of 80/100g, less than 1 per cent commercial defects (that is. in
order of importance, mouldy, over-fermented smoky, under –fermented or insects
infested beans).
• Grade II accounts for just 5 per cent of the total cocoa crop and has a bean count of
85/100g with less than 4 per cent commercial defects.
• Defective beans are not exported.
44. Storage
• The cleaned beans are packed in fresh polythene lined (150 – 200 gauge) gunny
bags.
• The bags are kept on raised platform of wooden planks (7 cm from the ground).
• The beans should not be stored in room where spices, pesticides and fertilizers
are stored as they may absorb the odour from these materials.
• Bean moisture - should not exceed 7.5 %
• Ambient humidity - not more than 70%
45. SECONDARY PROCESSING
1. ROASTING
• Most important operation for the generation of characteristic chocolate flavour and
colour and makes the bean less astringent.
• Dries and browns the cocoa beans and develop flavour.
• The cotyledons are known as ‘Nibs’.
• The common temperature for roasting is between 100°C and 140°C.
• The exact temperature depends on the type of cocoa bean, the quality of the beans
and the desired taste.
• The time for the roasting process depends on the cocoa beans, the roasting
temperature and on the used roasting technique
• Dried beans are fully roasted for one to two hours in order to develop the flavour of
the beans.
• The beans become brown in colour and friable (brittle).
46. Changes occurring in roasting
• Development of pleasant aromatic complex (chocolate flavour)
• Evaporation of organic acids and astringents of volatile nature
• Chemical modification of tannins and other non-volatile that remain, with
consequent reduction of bitterness
• Darkening of cotyledon colour to deep attractive brown
• Elimination of excess moisture
• Loosening the shell from cotyledon
47. METHODS OF ROASTING
Three types of roasting at commercial level.
Bean roasting
• Whole cocoa beans are roasted at higher temperature the shells are loosened for easy
separation from the nibs
Nib roasting
• Nib is the bean without shell.
• Off-flavour and fat migration encountered in bean roasting is overcome by nib
roasting.
Mass roasting
• In mass roasting the materials are converted to liquid and then roasting is carried out.
• Thus, the problem of uniformity of heating of bean roasting is overcome by mass
roasting, because a uniform heating is obtained in case of liquids.
48. 2. Winnowing
• The outer shell is removed from roasted bean
• Broken pieces of kernel that are roasted & shelled - called “cocoa nibs”---- the roasted
cocoa kernel without shell.
49. 3. Alkalization/Dutching
• Neutralization of acids presents in cocoa using 1% sodium or potassium carbonate-
helps to develops flavour and colour.
Objectives of alkalization
• Neutralization of acidity of cocoa beans
• Removal of astringency from cocoa beans
• Development of colour.
• Pigments present in cocoa reacts with alkali in presence of oxygen and heat to impart
light brown to dark colour to cocoa.
• Development of flavour by facilitating reactions between protein and reducing sugars.
50. 4. Grinding /Milling
• The nibs are ground using stone mills or other suitable mills to a fine paste or
liquor
• The heat produced during grinding causes cocoa fat to melt and the melted fat
carries with it, in suspension, finely ground particles of cocoa
• Known as ‘Cocoa mass’, ‘Chocolate liquor’ or ‘Bitter chocolate’
• This mass solidifies at about 30˚C
• Cocoa mass is very rich (50-55%) in fat and can not be used directly for the
preparation of any beverage
51. 5. PRESSING
• Cocoa butter is extracted from cocoa liquor
• The solid blocks of compressed cocoa remaining after extraction (press cake/ cocoa
cake) are pulverized into a fine powder to produce a high grade cocoa powder
• The preheated cocoa mass with temperatures around 80°C and 90°C is compressed in
large hydraulic presses
• Pressures up to 900 bar can be generated
• As a result, the fat is pressed out and drains of as a golden, clear cocoa butter
• According to press duration, the fat content can be reduced from 52% to 10% or 22%
• The “cocoa press cake” is left over in the press
• Cocoa press cakes with a fat content over 30% cannot be processed to cocoa powder
because it would form clumps but can be used for production of chocolate or
pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
52. Aims of pressing:
Reduction of the fat content lower than 30% to be able to produce powder
Separate the cocoa butter from the cocoa cake
Cocoa butter Cocoa press cake
According to ISI specifications, cocoa used for beverage should contain 20 %
cocoa fat
53. Cocoa Butter
Pale yellow liquid
Characteristic flavour of chocolate
Brittle at temperature below 25°C
Softens in hand and melts in mouth (34°C)
Not greasy to touch
Keeps well due to presence of antioxidants
Rich in saturated fatty acid
Palmitic and lower acids 26.2%
Stearic and higher acids 34.4%
Oleic acid 37.3%
Linoleic acid 2.1%
54. 6. Kibbling
• Process of finely grinding press cake to produce cocoa powder
• A “cake” is a circular disk, about 30 cm in diameter and about 3-4 cm
thick.
• Kibbled cake can then either be further processed or packed for shipment.
• Cocoa cake is used, after further processing, for colourings and flavouring
in cocoa based food products.
Cocoa mass
55. 7. Mixing and Blending
• Cocoa liquor is mixed with cocoa butter, sugar, milk
8. Refining
• Series of rollers to smooth paste
• Improve the texture of the chocolate
9. Conching
• Conching is a balance of temperature, time, agitation, and aeration
• Is a kneading or smoothing process using conche machine
10. Tempering - passed through a heating, cooling and reheating process--
prevents discolouration and fat bloom in the product
11. Molding The mixture is then put into moulds or used for enrobing fillings
and cooled in a cooling chamber
• Chocolate is then packaged for distribution
56. Cut test:
Procedure by which the cotyledons of cocoa beans are exposed for the
purpose of determining the incidence of defective and/ or violet or purple
beans and/ or the presence of contamination within a test sample
1. 300 beans cutting length wise
2. Both halves of beans – laid out on a board
3. No of defective beans counted
COCOA BEANS- SPECIFICATION AND QUALITY REQUIREMENTS
(ISO 2451:2017)
57. Cocoa beans specification
FLAVOUR AND AROMA
Free from undesirable odours and off-flavours (viz. mouldy, smoky,
acidic, objectionably astringent)
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Cut test:
Mouldy beans : 5% max by count
Slaty beans : 5% max by count
Infested/ insect damaged/ germinated/ flat beans: 3% max by count
Extraneous matter : 1 % maximum
58. FSSAI requirements for chocolates
Characteristics Milk and
milk
covering
chocolate
Plain and
plain
covering
chocolate
White
chocolate
Blended
chocolate
1. Total fat (on dry basis) percent by weight
Not less than
25 25 25 25
2. Milk fat (on dry basis) percent by weight
Not less than
2 - 2 -
3. Cocoa solids (on moisture free and fat
free basis) percent by weight
Not less than
2.5 12 - 3.0
4. Milk solids (on moisture free and fat
free basis) percent by weight
a) Not less than
b) Not more than
10.5 - 10.5 1
9
5. Acid insoluble ash (on moisture free and
fat and sugar free basis) percent by
weight
Not more than
0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
59. 1. Dark chocolate:
• Also called plain chocolate/ black chocolate
• Produced by adding fat and sugar to cocoa mass
• It is a chocolate with zero or much less milk than milk
chocolate
• Chocolate liquor – 15 %
• Dark chocolate has been promoted for its health benefits- high
amount of antioxidants
2. Semi sweet chocolate
• Dark chocolate with low sugar content
Types of Chocolate
60. 3. Unsweetened chocolate:
• Pure chocolate liquor known as biter/ baking chocolate
4. Bitter sweet chocolate
• Chocolate liquor to which sugar, more cocoa butter, vanilla and
sometimes lecithin added
5. Couverture
• Term used for chocolates rich in cocoa butter (85 % or more)
and a total fat content of 30-40 %
6. Milk chocolate
• Sweet chocolate that additionally contains milk powder or
condensed milk
61. 7. White chocolate:
• Contains sugar, milk or milk powder, cocoa liquor, vanilla,
lecithin, cocoa butter (but no cocoa solids)
• Its texture is similar to milk and dark chocolate
8. Hot chocolate:
• A heated beverage consisting of shaved chocolate, melted
chocolate and cocoa powder
62. Enrobing chocolate
Enrobing is a process that involves covering or coating a confection or
snack with chocolate.
An "enrobed chocolate" is typically when the center of the chocolate
is made first and is then fully coated in a thin layer of chocolate.
Traditionally, the enrobing or coating process was often done manually by hand
dipping the filling, confection or snack in tempered chocolate.
63. As demand for chocolate-coated sweets increased, it became
impractical or impossible to manually keep up with production demand. That is
when "enrobing machines“ entered the picture and changed everything.
A chocolate enrobing machine can do this job much faster and more
accurately. Using a belt system to pass the center or confection under a curtain
of tempered chocolate to quickly create a chocolate covering.
A chocolate enrobing machine allows ease of production for small and
large businesses and helps to establish automated production of chocolate
truffles, coated chocolates or confections.
64.
65. Cocoa by- products
1. Pod husk
• 70-75% of pod
• Rich in protein
• Can be incorporated in cattle feed
2. Mucilage- Used for making jam and jelly
3. Shell- theobromine extracted commercially and methylated to form caffeine
4. Germ- Has fat, ash, protein, crude fibre and theobromine
66. Cocoa bean roaster
• A rotary convection oven modified by adding a stainless steel
perforated screen basket, bean temperature probe and sample
port
• A bean cooling cart is provided with air system to cool the beans
when removed from the roaster, to avoid over roasting
Machineries for Cocoa Processing
67.
68. Cocoa butter press
• Made of a standard seamless
pipe stock (6 inch diameter) on
a 2 inch thick steel press plate
which contains small holes and
a fine stainless screen
• As a steel piston pushes down
on the liquefied cocoa inside
the cylinder, clear liquid cocoa
butter squirts and drips out of
the bottom of the press plate
and into the collection bowl
• Takes about 45 minutes to
complete each batch
71. Research Stations working on cocoa in India:
1) CPCRI Regional Station, Vittal, South Kanara, Karnataka
2) KAU, Vellanikkara, Thrissur
3) Cocoa Research Institute, Ghana
4) The Directorate of Cashewnut & Cocoa Development
72. Department of Spices & Plantation Crops, Horticultural College & Research Institute,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore - 3.
References
79. Importance:
Though cocoa has been known as the beverage crop even before tea or coffee, it is
relatively a new crop in India.
Cocoa being primarily an item of confectionery industries is the produce of Cacao plant
mostly grown as a companion crop interspersed within the irrigated Coconut and or
Arecanut gardens.
Even though Cocoa comes under the definition of plantation crops pure plantation of cocoa
as such is absent in India.
The commercial cultivation of cocoa however commenced from 1960’s only.
Internationally it is an item largely consumed in developed countries.
India has gained a foreign exchange of nearly Rs. 9.00 crores in 1995-96 and Rs. 6.00
crores in 1996-97 by way of export of cocoa beans and its products from India.
At present the global production and consumption of cocoa is around 27.00 lakh MT,
compared to this, India’s production is meager i.e. 10,000 MT.
80. In addition to its use in confectionery, cocoa products are also considered to have
other functional properties (Konar et al., 2016; Wilson and Hurst, 2015) and are used in a
range of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
Cacao seeds are a rich source of polyphenolic antioxidants and consequently, it
has been reported that cocoa-based products contribute a greater proportion of the dietary
intake of phenolic antioxidants than do green tea, wine, soy beans and blueberries, which
are known antioxidant rich food products and beverages (Lee et al., 2003).
The antioxidant properties of cocoa, particularly the high flavonoid content are
now of great interest due to its profound effects on human health. Specifically, the claim
that cocoa polyphenols could prevent cancer or delay/slow down the progression of cancer
(chemo-preventive agents) has received increased attention (Martin et al., 2013).
Furthermore, flavonoids extracted from cocoa have been shown to play a pivotal
role in mediating innate and acquired immunity (Ramiro-Puig and Castell, 2009), and also
have been shown to have an effect on diet induced obesity and insulin resistance (Dorenkott
et al., 2014).
81. Emerging data support the suggestion that cocoa flavanols may serve as
cardioprotective agents. These compounds have been reported to modulate mediators of
inflammation (Keen et al., 2005). Cocoa flavanols and procyanidins (Bowser et al., 2017;
Liu et al., 2015) have been shown to have beneficial effects including decreased platelet
aggregation through increasing concentration of epicatechin and catechin in the plasma
(Keen et al., 2005; Murphy et al., 2003). Furthermore, cacao shell is a rich source of
theobromine and vitamin D. The pods contain a high level of potash that is used in soap
production (Bart-Plange and Baryeh, 2003).
82. After harvest, the cocoa fruit is fermented, dried, and stored. Farmers remain
vulnerable to production losses during these processes and the quality and flavor
of the product is defined by the environment and the methods used. Post-harvest
processing falls upon the CSA pillars of productivity and adaptation. Farmer
incomes are dependent on the amount of cocoa they can sell and the success in
post-harvest processing is dependent on the interaction between environmental
factors (e.g. humidity) and factors related to the process (e.g. bacteria during
fermentation).
Climate change impact
Prolonged intensive rainfall and low temperatures increase pod infection rates
and rotting. High temperatures and drought lead to smaller bean sizes and
delayed maturation. Post-harvest management of cocoa pods and beans will also
be more challenging as intensified rainfall slows down the fermentation process
and increases contamination by mycotoxins Changes in temperatures and
droughts will significantly alter the flavor and acidity of cocoa beans whereas a
prolonged dry season will increase the sugar content of cocoa beans creating
problems during fermentation. Drying will be more complicated under high
humidity conditions, although during droughts and prolonged dry seasons
farmers must ensure beans do not become burnt. After drying, cocoa beans must
be stored in an adequate facility that protects them from pests during high
temperatures and droughts, and from mycotoxins during low temperatures
(Dohmen, et al. 2017).
83. rmentation
ere are various ways in which farmers can engage in the process of cocoa fermentation. Aft
ans and pulp are removed from the husk, smallholders typically cover the heaps of cocoa w
nana leaves and let them ferment for approximately five days (ICCO, 1998). This traditional
mentation, however, is susceptible to environmental risk factors. Periods of intense rainfall in
e required for fermentation. Temperature changes, droughts, and prolonged dry seasons af
d overall quality of the product (Dohmen, et al. 2018). Unlike farmers in West Africa, cocoa f
merica tend to ferment the cocoa pulp surrounding the beans using wooden boxes. In Indone
ely take part in the fermentation process because their production is valued mostly for cocoa
unaffected by fermentation (Neilson, 2007).
ying
e next step after fermentation is the drying of the cocoa beans. Under inadequate methods
cumstances, drying can result in production losses and loss of quality. According to the ICCO
mers may either sun dry their beans or use an artificial drying technique. The former is comm
untries that have a significant dry period during which to carry out drying and it involves plac
eds on a surface exposed to the sun either on mats, trays, or concrete. Artificial drying involv
artificial source of heat such as fires (ICCO, 2000). Intensive rainfall can cause molding of c
d reduce quality. While temperature changes alter the time required for drying, droughts and
increase the speed at which cocoa dries. CSC recommends the use of solar dryers, which
ld using wood and clear plastic. Solar dryers avoid the GHG emissions of artificial drying an
m excessive humidity.
orage
e last step in cocoa processing is storage of dried beans. During storage, beans are risk of d
midity, pests (e.g. warehouse moths and red flout beetles), and mycotoxins (a fungus that ca
ntaminate cocoa) (Dohmen, et al. 2018). Environmental risk factors increase the probability
85. The fermented beans can be dried either in the sun or by artificial means. Sun
drying can be done in thin layers of 2 - 3 cm depth and stirring from time to time.
When the beans are dried properly, they produce a characteristic cracking sound
on compressing a fistful of beans in the palm.
The more scientific method is to use moisture meter. The dried beans after
cooling maintaining 6 -8% moisture should be cleared before storage.
The fruit broken, shriveled and other extraneous material are removed. The
cleared bags are kept on a raised platform of wooden planks.
•DRYING AND STORAGE
86. Cleaning, roasting, and grinding
Cocoa beans are subjected to various cleaning processes to remove such contaminants
as twigs, stones, and dust.
Roasting develops flavour, reduces acidity and astringency, lowers moisture content,
deepens colour, and facilitates shell removal.
After roasting comes a cracking and fanning (winnowing) process, in which machines
crack the shells and then separate them from the heavier nibs by means of blowers. The
cell walls of the nibs are in turn broken by grinding, releasing the fat, or cocoa butter,
and forming a paste called chocolate liquor, or cocoa mass.
87. Conching
Conching, a flavour-developing, aerating, and emulsifying procedure
performed by conche machines, requires from 4 to 72 hours, depending on the results
desired and the machine type. Temperatures used in this process range from 55 to 88 °C
(130 to 190 °F) and are closely controlled to obtain the desired flavour and uniformity.
Molding
In molding, the chocolate is cast in small consumer-size bars or in blocks
weighing about 4.5 kg (10 pounds) for use by confectioners and is then subjected to cold
air to produce hardening.