Cocoa Fermentation : Study of Microbiological, Physical and Chemical Changes during Cocoa Fermentation

Abstract

Studies on environmental change during cocoa fermentation were carried out in baskets and wooden boxes, storing cocoa pods for 4 and 7 days after harvesting. During fermentation materials were sampled and analysed at intervals. Beans fermented in boxes shiftly better cut test value than those kept in baskets. Fully fermented (F) bean of 54-67% , and 28-45% of 3/4 fermented beans were found in boxes, 50-5696 of fully fermented beans, 43-49% of 3/4 fermented beans in baskets. All fermented batches showed slaty less than 3%. The proximate analysis showed that fat content in unfermented and fermented beans were similar, at 55%, Ash and fiber in fermented beans was slightly less than in unfermented beans. The protein content decreased 1-2% by the end of the fermentation. The temperature during fermentation reached 45°C, after storage of cocoa pods for 4 days and 7 days, in 48 and 24 hours respectively. Mesophilic and thermophilic yeast and bacteria were also found. The pH of the fermented cocoa both in baskets and boxes were at 4.7-6.7