Abstract
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao), in all its presentations, is consumed all over the world and is one of the main drivers of the economic in several countries. The world’s Cocoa tendency is focused on developing special beans. This category is subject to postharvest processes of utmost importance such as the fermentation and dry, which are currently carried out with traditional and poorly effective devices, which need to be improved to obtain a high quality product. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the pectin lyase enzyme (E.C.4.2.2.10) on the postharvest cocoa process. We evaluated the enzyme dosage (1.0% and 0.5%) in fermentation and its effect on the variables temperature, acidity and drying time by convection at 60°C. The Pectin lyase activity during fermentation does not cause a significant effect on the variables of temperature and acidity; however, the drying process time required to achieve 7.0% moisture was reduced. The enzyme dosage of 1.0% was the best result, the amount of exudate obtained (115 ml) during fermentation and the best degree of fermentation (77% ± 3.8) were increased and further shows a change in porosity facilitating the scale surface and internal moisture diffusion. The drying rate (Nw) expressed in kgwater/m2 * min was determined based on the empirical model of Newton, where the higher speed was obtained during the falling period. In conclusion, enzyme dosage 1% was the best concentration evaluated because weaken grain husk, which allowed an adequate fermentation,and subsequent time drying reduction until 10.8 h.
Highlights
World production of cocoa 2014/15 (May) reached approximately four million tons with a deficit of 38,000 tons, which will be increasingly inadequate to respond to a demand that is expected from five million in 2020, due to the increase in the consumption of chocolate, confectionery and raw materials [1]
It is important to outstand the results of total acidity obtained with an enzymatic dose of 0.5% that differs from the control up to 0.16 meq NaOH * 10 g−1, the statistical analysis shows that the application of pectin lyase does not generate a significant effect on the acidity of the grain (p < 0.05)
Guehi et al (2010) reported values of acidity, obtained at the end of the fermentation by different methods, higher than the ones found in the present study, which may lead to a better quality by the absence of concentrated acids flavors before the drying process [22]
Summary
World production of cocoa 2014/15 (May) reached approximately four million tons with a deficit of 38,000 tons, which will be increasingly inadequate to respond to a demand that is expected from five million in 2020, due to the increase in the consumption of chocolate, confectionery and raw materials (cocoa powder, butter, cocoa liquor and grain) [1]. The rates of productivity in America are lower than the main producer that is still Africa (74.8%). In the Latin-American, through government plans and in partnership with industry dedicated to the transformation of the cocoa, some strategies are being implemented to cover the growing demand. Renewal and improvement of cocoa crops or establishment of manufacture industry in the producing countries closest to the emerging demand (as in the case of Indonesia to cover the Asian market) [2]. The purpose is to stablish the fine cocoa which has greater value and is produced mainly in most of the countries of Latin America, such as Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru, which produce 76% of the fine or flavour cocoa of the world [3] [4]
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