Fermented Cocoa Beans Research Articles

Chemical Composition and Sensory Profiles of Fermented Cocoa Beans Obtained from Various Regions of Indonesia.

The chemical composition and sensory profile of cocoa beans are essential factors determining the quality of cocoa-based products. In this study, cocoa bean samples were collected from various regions of Indonesia, including Aceh, Banten, Bali, East Java, West Sumatra, West Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, and Yogyakarta. The cocoa beans were fermented and sun-dried according to the producers' protocols and local practices. The sensory profile, fat content, total phenolic content, and the composition of sugars, organic acids, and amino acids of the cocoa bean samples were analyzed. The results revealed that the chemical composition and sensory profiles of the samples were diverse. The sensory profiles of cocoa liquor samples were described by low intensities of cocoa notes with the occurrence of fruity, floral, spicy, and sweet notes. The concentration of acetic acid, lactic acid, and some amino acids (glutamic acid, proline, and methionine) was associated with fresh fruit, browned fruit, and roasted note of the cocoa liquor, respectively. The variation in the environmental conditions and postharvest practices contributed to the diversity of cocoa beans' chemical and sensory characteristics.

Application of Ohmic Heating Technology on Cocoa Beans Fermentation: Design, Physicochemical Properties and Techno-Economic Analysis

Application of Ohmic Heating Technology on Cocoa Beans Fermentation: Design, Physicochemical Properties and Techno-Economic Analysis

Selection Of Lactic Acid Bacteria as Starter Culture for Cocoa Fermentation (Theobroma Cacao L.)

This research aims to select the potential lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for starter culture for cocoa beans fermentation. The bio-control activity against mycotoxigenic fungi were also evaluated. The indigenous LAB was analized from Sukabumi cocoa beans fermentation by spontaneous method for four days (96 hours). The preliminary screening of LAB were observed by clear zone forming, morphology characterization and catalase activity. The LAB were screened for their ability to resist acidity, ethanol, and heat, and their ability to produce high acid and antifungal. The antifungal capability was antagonistic assays to Aspergillus ochraceus IPBCC 88.033 on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium. The result showed that the selected acid bacteria isolate, H 2.34, were antifungal-producing strains, and resist acidity, ethanol and heat, which was suitable property for starter culture and biopreservation agent. The study demonstrated the selection of local Indonesian LAB from Sukabumi fermented cocoa bean to observe the potential of isolate as a starter culture and biopreservation agent

Flavor Precursors and Volatile Compounds Improvement of Unfermented Cocoa Beans by Hydrolysis Using Bromelain.

Cocoa fermentation is an essential process that produces flavor precursors. However, many small farmers in Indonesia directly dry their cocoa beans without fermentation due to low yield and long fermentation time, resulting in fewer flavor precursors and cocoa flavor. Therefore, this study aimed to enhance the flavor precursors, particularly free amino acids and volatile compounds, of unfermented cocoa beans by hydrolysis, using bromelain. Unfermented cocoa beans were previously hydrolyzed with bromelain at concentrations of 3.5, 7, and 10.5 U/mL for 4, 6, and 8 h, respectively. An analysis of enzyme activity, degree of hydrolysis, free amino acids, reducing sugar, polyphenols, and volatile compounds was then conducted using unfermented and fermented cocoa beans as negative and positive controls, respectively. The results showed that the highest degree of hydrolysis was 42.95% at 10.5 U/mL for 6 h, although it was not significantly different from the hydrolysis at 3.5 U/mL for 8 h. This indicates a higher reducing sugar and lower polyphenols content than unfermented cocoa beans. There was also an increase in free amino acids, especially hydrophobic amino acids, such as phenylalanine, valine, leucine, alanine, and tyrosine, and desirable volatile compounds, such as pyrazines. Therefore, this suggests that hydrolysis with bromelain increased the flavor precursors and cocoa-bean flavors.

Structural alteration of cocoa bean shell fibers through biological treatment using Penicillium roqueforti

Lignocellulosic residues, such as cocoa bean shell (FI), are generated in large quantities during agro-industrial activities. Proper management of residual biomass through solid state fermentation (SSF) can be effective in obtaining value-added products. The hypothesis of the present work is that the bioprocess promoted by P. roqueforti can lead to structural changes in the fibers of the fermented cocoa bean shell (FF) that confer characteristics of industrial interest. To unveil such changes, the techniques of FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA/TG were used. After SSF, an increase of 36.6% in the crystallinity index was observed, reflecting the reduction of amorphous components such as lignin in the FI residue. Furthermore, an increase in porosity was observed through the reduction of the 2θ angle, which gives the FF a potential candidate for applications of porous products. The FTIR results confirm the reduction in hemicellulose content after SSF. The thermal and thermogravimetric tests showed an increase in the hydrophilicity and thermal stability of FF (15% decomposition) in relation to the by-product FI (40% decomposition). These data provided important information regarding changes in the crystallinity of the residue, existing functional groups and changes in degradation temperatures.

Screening of Anti-fungal Bacillus Strains and Influence of their Application on Cocoa Beans Fermentation and Final Bean Quality

Aims: Contamination with filamentous fungi reduces the quality of cocoa beans and poses a health risk for consumers due to the potential accumulation of mycotoxins. The aim of this study was to develop antifungal Bacillus cultures for cocoa beans fermentation.
 Methods and Results: Antifungal activity of 7 Bacillus isolates was investigated using overlay technique. Solid culture media inoculated with bacterial and fungal isolates were cultivated under aerobic conditions at 30 ºC for 5 days. The Bacillus strain with strong antifungal activity was studied and inoculated to 18 kg box fermentations cocoa beans in Cote d'Ivoire in three time-independent replications each including a spontaneous control fermentation. The comparison of inoculated and spontaneous fermentation processes revealed that the Bacillus thuringiensis strain ATCC 10792 don't affected the fermentation process and cocoa bean quality. The anti-fungal in vivo assays revealed that the Bacillus thuringiensis strain ATCC 10792 completely inhibited growth of all fungi on the surface of cocoa beans. The result showed that sensory evaluation of chocolates is not significant differences for all treatment. The sensory evaluation of control and chocolates made from the inoculated cocoa beans with Bacillus showed excellent sensory quality, demonstrating that Bacillus thuringiensis strain ATCC 10792 did not affect aroma, texture and appearance of chocolate.
 Conclusion: From this study, it is revealed that the addition of Bacillus thuringiensis strain ATCC 10792 during fermentation cocoa beans suppress fungal growth and improve the quality of cocoa beans. Therefore, the anti-fungal culture Bacillus thuringiensis strain ATCC 10792 is recommended for future applications and its capacity to limit fungal growth during industrial-scale cocoa bean fermentation should be investigated in further studies.

Changes in bioactive compounds during fermentation of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) harvested in Amazonas-Peru

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) is the main raw material for the production of chocolate; it is considered the food of the gods, as it possesses a diversity of bioactive compounds beneficial to human health. The abundance of bioactive compounds, among others, is conditioned by the post-harvest processing of cocoa beans, and fermentation is a major step in this regard. Consequently, this research evaluated the changes in phenolic compounds and methylxanthines occurred in the fermentation of Criollo and CCN-51 cocoa beans, varieties of great commercial interest for the cocoa-growing areas of Peru. For this purpose, samples were taken every 12 h of cocoa beans under fermentation for 204 h in which phenols (gallic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, and epicatechin) and methylxanthines (theobromine, caffeine and theophylline) were quantified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC); total polyphenols by Folin Ciocalteu; antioxidant capacity by DPPH free radical capture method; total anthocyanins; pH; titratable acidity; and fermentation rate of beans. We found that during fermentation, phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and methylxanthines of cocoa beans decreased; on the other hand, the anthocyanin content increased slightly. Indeed, at distinctly degree, fermentation influences bioactive compounds in cocoa beans, depending on the variety cultivated.

Effects of the maturity level and pod conditioning period of cocoa pods on the changes of physicochemical properties of the beans of Sulawesi 2 (S2) cocoa clone

<abstract> <p>Cocoa quality largely depends on postharvest processing, including fruit maturity levels and practices, such as ripening (pod conditioning), fermentation, drying, and roasting. This study aimed to identify the effects of the maturity level and pod conditioning period of cocoa pods on the changes in the physicochemical properties of the beans of Sulawesi 2 (S2) cocoa clone from Pinrang Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Two treatment variables were applied and assessed: fruit maturity levels (treatment A) and duration of pod conditioning (treatment B). Results indicated that pulp weight ranged from 29.69–47.96 g/100 g fresh beans, pulp moisture was 74.43%–83.29%, total sugar content was 4.28%–11.91%, sucrose content was 0.33%–0.88%, glucose/fructose was 3.84%–11.09%, and cocoa pulp pH was 3.27–3.79. The bean moisture was 37.13%–58.67%, bean weight was 54.19–72.4 g/100 g fresh beans, and polyphenol content ranged from 4.76–13.05 mg/g in gallic acid equivalents. Statistical analyses indicated that fruit maturity level did not have a significant effect on the weight, moisture, total sugar content, glucose/fructose content or pH of the pulp or the moisture content and weight of the bean. However, fruit maturity level significantly affected the polyphenol and pulp sucrose contents of the bean. Furthermore, pod conditioning had significant effects on the weight, total sugar content, sucrose content, and glucose/fructose content of the pulp as well as the weight and polyphenol contents of the beans. The effects of pod conditioning on the moisture and pH of the pulp and the bean moisture content were insignificant. Pod conditioning for 6 days with an A2 maturity level not only reduced the acidity of the cocoa beans, but it also increased the polyphenol content and the weight of the beans. Increased bean weight will increase the yield of cocoa beans. Therefore, pod conditioning for 6 days with an A2 maturity level can be applied to the cocoa processing industry, especially before carrying out the cocoa bean fermentation.</p> </abstract>

Aroma precursor enhancing in dried cocoa beans fermentation using enzyme and heat addition

<abstract> <p>Changes in amino acids and reducing sugars in cocoa beans during fermentation were investigated using a 3 × 3 full complete factorial design using different enzyme additions (cellulase, papain and control–no enzyme) and water bath temperatures (40, 45 and 50 ℃) as variables over three days of fermentation. Aroma precursors (reducing sugars and free amino acids) developed inside the bean by enzymatic mechanisms during fermentation are converted into volatile compounds such as pyrazines and aldehydes during roasting. This study aimed to improve the fermentation process of dried beans by adding acetic acid, heat and enzymes, because there is insufficient pulp for the ideal spontaneous fermentation process. Samples were analyzed for fermentation index, cut bean, reducing sugar amino acid composition and volatile aroma composition profile using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that the fermentation index was significantly affected by the addition of enzymes and water temperature. Although amino acids rose to 200%–300%, the composition contained several acidic amino acids because the pH utilized less than 4. Adding cellulase enzymes increases the amount of reducing sugars and amino acids but does not result in the formation of various amino acids.</p> </abstract>

Identification of Sustainable Supply Chain Performance in Primary Cocoa Processing (Case Study in Patuk, Yogyakarta)

This study identified the handling of dry fermented cocoa bean production, analyzed the level of cocoa supply chain (SC) performance in Patuk, and developed recommendations for poor performance to improve SC performance. In this study, environmentally friendly handling was carried out by observing the SC and processing process, and SC performance was measured based on the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model in the scope of reliability, responsiveness, and agility supported by the 2.2 Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) weighting method using pairwise comparison. The result of this study indicates that sustainable practices from the seeding, nurturing, harvesting, and shipping stages are easier to implement due to the small scale and proximity to residential areas and processing units. Cocoa SC performance in Patuk is divided into 3 parts, namely for farmer performance (79.79), collective traders (70.23), and processing industry (83.29). Improvements that can be made to improve the performance of the SC are by increasing plant maintenance, recording production, and making contracts. The benefits of this study are to encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly cocoa cultivation and processing practices, provide information on SC factors on SC performance, and provide recommendations for performance improvement.

Direct Measurement of Chocolate Components Using Dispersive Raman Spectroscopy at 1000nm Excitation.

Chocolate is a popular food around the world. Making chocolate-based confectionaries involve multiple processing steps including cocoa bean fermentation, cocoa bean roasting, grinding, and then a controlled crystallization, where the processing conditions yields the desirable polymorph V to give chocolate its characteristic snap and texture. Raman spectroscopy is well known as a technique that can provide a non-contact, non-destructive analysis of chemical composition and molecular structure. Yet, excitation in the visible and near-infrared (532-785nm) has not been possible for dark or milk chocolate because of the samples' overwhelming fluorescence. New technologies enabling Raman spectroscopy closer to shortwave infrared wavelengths, closer to 1000 nm, are likely to reduce fluorescence of chocolate and other highly fluorescent samples. Based on the successes of 1064nm excitation to understand chocolate blooming, we hypothesized that 1000nm excitation would also reduce fluorescence and enable Raman spectroscopy in dark and milk chocolates. We used dispersive Raman spectroscopy at 1000nm to measure white, milk, and dark chocolate and cocoa nibs. The use of 1000nm excitation effectively reduced fluorescence, enabling qualitative and quantitative Raman spectroscopy directly on chocolate samples. These feasibility studies indicate that 1000nm Raman spectroscopy can be used to measure chocolate in a laboratory or process environment.

Influence of Aerobic and Anaerobic Moist Incubation on Selected Nonvolatile Constituents─Comparison to Traditionally Fermented Cocoa Beans

Recently, moist incubation has been proposed as an alternative postharvest processing method for cocoa beans. During this treatment, unfermented and dried cocoa nibs are rehydrated with a lactic acid solution containing ethanol and subsequently incubated for 72 h at 45 °C before drying. Previous studies focused on the aroma formation during this treatment and the further processing of chocolate. The current study focused on the influence of aerobic and anaerobic moist incubation on selected nonvolatile components in comparison with the unfermented raw material and traditionally fermented cocoa. Total phenolic content and total flavan-3-ol content, contents of (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, procyanidins B2 and C1, cinnamtannin A2, methylxanthines (theobromine and caffeine), contents of sugars (sucrose, d-glucose, and d-fructose) and free amino acids (17 proteinogenic amino acids) were determined. The fermentation index was also evaluated. The aerobically incubated and fermented cocoa showed low levels of phenolic compounds in comparison to the unfermented cocoa and the anaerobically incubated cocoa. The level of methylxanthines was unaffected by all treatments. The contents of reducing sugars were more than 2-fold higher after both incubation treatments compared to fermentation. The level of free amino acids liberated was highest after anaerobic incubation followed by fermentation and aerobic incubation. The aerobically incubated cocoa showed the highest FI, while the anaerobically incubated cocoa may be considered under-fermented (FI <1.0). Statistical analysis (ANOVA) showed significant differences between all treatments, which was verified by principal component analysis.

Unraveling potential enzymes and their functional role in fine cocoa beans fermentation using temporal shotgun metagenomics.

Cocoa beans fermentation is a spontaneous process, essential for the generation of quality starting material for fine chocolate production. The understanding of this process has been studied by the application of high-throughput sequencing technologies, which grants a better assessment of the different microbial taxa and their genes involved in this microbial succession. The present study used shotgun metagenomics to determine the enzyme-coding genes of the microbiota found in two different groups of cocoa beans varieties during the fermentation process. The statistical evaluation of the most abundant genes in each group and time studied allowed us to identify the potential metabolic pathways involved in the success of the different microorganisms. The results showed that, albeit the distinction between the initial (0 h) microbiota of each varietal group was clear, throughout fermentation (24-144 h) this difference disappeared, indicating the existence of selection pressures. Changes in the microbiota enzyme-coding genes over time pointed to the distinct ordering of fermentation at 24-48 h (T1), 72-96 h (T2), and 120-144 h (T3). At T1, the significantly more abundant enzyme-coding genes were related to threonine metabolism and those genes related to the glycolytic pathway, explained by the abundance of sugars in the medium. At T2, the genes linked to the metabolism of ceramides and hopanoids lipids were clearly dominant, which are associated with the resistance of microbial species to extreme temperatures and pH values. In T3, genes linked to trehalose metabolism, related to the response to heat stress, dominated. The results obtained in this study provided insights into the potential functionality of microbial community succession correlated to gene function, which could improve cocoa processing practices to ensure the production of more stable quality end products.

Isolation of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Cocoa Bean Fermentation as Potential Antibacterial Agent against ESKAPE Pathogens

This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of microorganisms isolated before and during cocoa fermentation against ESKAPE pathogens. Microorganisms from cocoa fermentation process were isolated on the selective media and were tested against ESKAPE pathogens. Total titratable acidity, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of cell-free supernatant from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were determined. The presence of bacteriocin and antibacterial activity were determined. LAB was identified through molecular and biochemical tests. Ninety-five and 134 isolates were obtained from the fermentation of Sungai Balung 25 (BR25) clone and mixed clones, respectively. Screening of antibacterial activity showed that 26 isolates of LAB from the cocoa fermentation process had antibacterial activity against ESKAPE pathogens (zone of inhibition ≥11 mm). Cell-free supernatant from some LAB demonstrated potent antibacterial activity against some ESKAPE pathogens through MIC and MBC and evaluation. Furthermore, one isolate (mix48M01) exhibited antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus raffinousus. An increase in the diameter of inhibition zone was observed as the lactic acid production increased. Gram-positive bacteria isolates were more resistant to LAB than Gram-negative bacteria. Bacteriocin with good antibacterial activity was also detected from the LAB examined. Molecular analysis showed that 13 LAB shared &gt;99% sequence similarity to Lactobacillus fermentum CECT 562 while one isolate shared sequence similarity &lt;98%, indicating that it might be a novel Lactobacillus species. Isolated LAB from this study exhibited high antibacterial activity against ESKAPE pathogens and could be investigated further as potential probiotics and antibacterial agents in the future.

Bioaccessibility of bioactive amines in dark chocolates made with different proportions of under-fermented and fermented cocoa beans

The influence of under-fermented (UF) cocoa (0 to 65 %) on bioactive amines in chocolate and their in vitro bioaccessibility was investigated. The same amines were found in all treatments; however, treatments were divided into two groups regarding total amines [0 & 20 % UF (34 mg/kg) and 35 to 65 % UF (17 mg/kg)] and phenolic levels [lower and higher, respectively]. Serotonin, tyramine, putrescine, cadaverine, agmatine and phenylethylamine were higher in chocolate with ≤ 20 % UF cocoa. Histamine and spermidine were not affected. Digestibility studies indicated that low levels of amines were present in the oral phase. Gastric digestion was effective in releasing tyramine, spermidine and phenylethylamine from conjugates. Serotonin and agmatine were not detected after in vitro digestion of chocolate with ≥ 35 % UF cocoa. Histamine was released during in vitro intestinal digestion. By adding different proportions of UF cocoa during chocolate production, the levels and bioaccessibility of amines can be modulated.

The Effect of Container Type and Fermentation Period Towards Cocoa Beans Quality in Tidore Island

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of wooden box containers on the quality of fermented cocoa beans. The experimental design used was Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with one factor, namely the length of fermentation consisting of each treatment repeated 3 times so that 9 experiments were obtained. The results obtained are analyzed for variance and if there is a significant difference between treatments, the Dancen test will be carried out. By the results of the treatment and discussion, it can be concluded that after fermenting cocoa beans using wooden boxes, the results obtained were an increase in the fermentation index of dry cocoa beans on the 3rd to 5th days (0.243, 1.147 and 2.027). This number indicates a change in color from purple to brown. Furthermore, the yield of dry cocoa beans, the content of moldy beans, and the skin content were at quality levels B and C and the water content and fat content still met the requirements of SNI-2323-2008. Polyphenols as antioxidants are in the range of 0.06 - 0.08. Based on this research it is also recommended that the fermentation process of beans use wooden boxes because it meets the requirements of the Indonesian National Standard for Cocoa Quality Number 2323-2008.

Use of a refiner conche for the decontamination of cocoa nibs

Apart from the formation of flavour compounds and colour, the main effect of conventional hot-air roasting is a significant reduction of the microbial load of fermented cocoa beans. The present study was undertaken to evaluate whether a thermal impact during the treatment of cocoa nibs in a refiner conche contributes to decontamination. A viable count reduction of approx. 4 log10 units was achieved when the temperature of the refiner drum was set to 100 °C, and water was added during thermal treatment for 6 h. It was also demonstrated that such a refining in the conche results in particle size distributions with an x90 diameter <17 μm, which is sufficiently small for further processing.

EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF COCOA BEAN DRIED USING DIFFERENT DRYING TECHNIQUES

Processing techniques, particularly drying because cocoa beans are extremely sensitive to moisture, have a significant impact on the quality of the final product. Fermented cocoa beans were dried using the NSPRI parabolic solar tent dryer (PSTD), wooden solar dryer (WSD), and open-air drying (OAD). The dried cocoa beans’ respective moisture contents (MCs) for PSTD, WSD, and OAD were 5.94%, 6.01%, and 6.82%, respectively. The corresponding MCs for the dried cocoa beans from PSTD, WSD, and OAD were 5.94%, 6.01%, and 6.82, respectively. It was found that the cut test scores for PSTD, WSD, and OAD were 1000, 985, and 965, respectively. This showed that, in contrast to those from WSD and OAD, the dried cocoa beans obtained from PSTD were fully brown. For WSD, OAD, and PSTD, respectively, the obtained pH values were 5.60, 5.65, and 5.80, and the total titratable acidity was 11.70 meq NaOH 100–1 g, 14.10 meq NaOH 100–1 g, and 18.30 meq NaOH 100–1 g for PSTD, WSD, and OAD, respectively. Food products’ shelf life may be indicated by the titratable acidity value. Due to its enclosed design, the NSPRI PSTD has an advantage over other drying methods because it completely eliminates the possibility of external and microbial contamination of the cocoa beans.

Studi Meta-analisis: Pengaruh Penambahan Kultur Starter pada Profil Fermentasi, Mikroorganisme, dan Metabolit Hasil Fermentasi Biji Kakao (Theobroma cacao L.)

Fermentation of cocoa beans can produce flavour precursors and colour changes in chocolate. Generally, this process is carried out for 5-7 days without adding starter culture. Adding a starter culture is considered to improve the quality of cocoa beans and shorten the fermentation time. The purpose of this study was to compare the starter cultures used in the cocoa bean fermentation process through a meta-analysis approach. Twenty-four related articles have been screened from the initial number of 110 articles. There are five starter cultures and six parameters that can be processed by Confidence Interval (CI) analysis. Calculating p and I2 values ​​using STATA software was performed to see variations between studies and test the significance of their effects during the fermentation process through p values. The variation test between studies showed that the profiles of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and acetic acid bacteria (AAB) were heterogeneous. While the yeast profile, levels of lactic acid, acetic acid and pH between studies are homogeneous. The results of the study showed that the addition of starter culture will affect the levels of yeast profile (ES: 0.470; 95% CI: 0.371 to 0.569; p = 0.0); LAB profile (ES: 0.747; 95% CI: 0.600 to 0.894; p = 0,0); AAB profile (ES: 0.808; 95% CI: 0.663 to 0.953; p = 0.0); lactic acid (ES: -0.003; 95% CI: -0.162 to 0.156; p = 0.039); acetic acid (ES: 0.189; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.368; p = 0.039) and pH (ES: 0.109; 95% CI: 0.001 to 0.218; p = 0.049). Using pure starter cultures can increase the number of microbes of the type added and increase metabolic activity by showing a decrease in acetic acid levels in cocoa beans at the end of the fermentation process. However, no changes were seen in pH or lactic acid levels.

Cocoa Bean Dryer and Cleaner Devise : A Microcontroller Experiment

Cleaning and drying cocoa beans are generally done manually by farmers. The manual cleaning process takes a long time, and the pulp reduction is not optimal. In contrast, drying using sunlight takes a long time when it is done in the rainy season. This causes the cocoa beans to be moldy and have low sale value. In the equipment made by the factory, the two machines are made separately and are hardly affordable by the farmers. Based on these problems, a microcontroller-based cocoa bean dryer (de pulper) was designed with a single container so that both processes could be carried out using just one machine. To elaborate this system, cleaning is carried out on fermented cocoa beans that are pulp shed in a rotating cylinder. In comparison, the drying process is carried out by using a heat source, a soil moisture sensor to detect the moisture content of cocoa beans, a DS18B20 sensor to detect temperatures in the drying container, and a cylindrical container is rotated using an A.C. motor. Based on the experiment results, it takes 10 minutes to clean the cocoa beans from the pulp. The drying process takes 5 hours, 10 minutes, and 5 hours and 40 minutes to dry the cocoa beans to a maximum moisture content of 7%. A rotating drying container can speed up the drying process of cocoa beans compared to drying using sunlight in the rainy season. The proposed tool in this study can carry out more efficient capacity better than the conventional tool.