Effect of fermentation and drying practices on the chemical and physical profiles of Ghana cocoa

Abstract

A series of 12 cocoa fermentations were carried out at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana in 1987. The cocoa fermentations were varied by cultivar (Amelonado, Amazon and Hybrid), post-harvest pod storage time (1 and 7 days) and fermentation method (heap and box). During each fermentation, chemical (sugars, ethanol, organic acids and pH) and physical (moisture, temperature and pulp cotyledon ratio) changes were monitored. A large number (104) of statistically significant differences were found, indicating that the choice of cultivar, method of fermentation and duration of post-harvest pod storage, affect the chemical and physical profiles of cocoa fermentations. However, after the fermented beans were either sun or mechanically dried, the quality of the beans as measured by the cut-test and organic acid concentration, revealed only one significant difference, that of a higher proportion of mouldy beans when the beans had been subjected to the longer 7-day pod-storage period prior to splitting and fermenting.