Cocoa
- 1. Cocoa – Harvesting, Post- harvesting and Products By: AYUSH MISHRA
- 2. INTRODUCTION • The cocoa bean, also cacao bean or simply cocoa, is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter can be extracted. • The cacao tree is native to the Americas. It originated in Central America as well as parts of Mexico. • Chocolate was introduced to Europe by the Spaniards, and became a popular beverage by the mid-17th century.They also introduced the cacao tree into theWest Indies and the Philippines. It was also introduced into the rest of Asia and intoWest Africa by Europeans. In the Gold Coast, modern Ghana, cacao was introduced by an African,Tetteh Quarshie.
- 3. COCOA POD A cocoa pod (fruit) has a rough, leathery rind about 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.18 in) thick (this varies with the origin and variety of pod) filled with sweet, mucilaginous pulp (called baba de cacao in South America) with a lemonade-like taste enclosing 30 to 50 large seeds that are fairly soft and a pale lavender to dark brownish purple colour. Due to heat build-up in the fermentation process, cacao beans lose most of the purplish hue and become mostly brown in colour, with an adhered skin which includes the dried remains of the fruity pulp. This skin is released easily after roasting by winnowing. White seeds are found in some rare varieties, usually mixed with purples, and are considered of higher value.
- 4. HEALTH BENEFITS In general, cocoa is considered to be a rich source of antioxidants such as procyanidins and flavanoids, which may impart antiaging properties. Cocoa also contain a high level of flavonoids, specifically epicatechin, which may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.Cocoa is a stimulant and contains the compounds theobromine and caffeine.The beans contain between 0.1% and 0.7% caffeine, whereas dry coffee beans are about 1.2% caffeine. The stimulant activity of cocoa comes from the compound theobromine which is less diuretic as compared to theophylline found in tea. Prolonged intake of flavanol-rich cocoa has been linked to cardiovascular health benefits, though this refers to raw cocoa and to a lesser extent, dark chocolate, since flavonoids degrade during cooking and alkalizing processes. Short-term benefits in LDL cholesterol levels from dark chocolate consumption have been found.The addition of whole milk to milk chocolate reduces the overall cocoa content per ounce while increasing saturated fat levels.
- 5. Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure, but drinking green and black tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the April 9, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. A 15-year study of elderly men published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2006 found a 50 percent reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 47 percent reduction in all-cause mortality for the men regularly consuming the most cocoa, compared to those consuming the least cocoa from all sources. It is believed that the improved blood flow after consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa may help to achieve health benefits in hearts and other organs. In particular, the benefits may extend to the brain and have important implications for learning and memory.
- 6. Harvesting Cocoa trees grow in hot, rainy tropical areas within 20° of latitude from the Equator. Cocoa harvest is not restricted to one period per year and a harvest typically occurs over several months. In fact, in many countries, cocoa can be harvested at any time of the year. Immature cocoa pods have a variety of colours, but most often are green, red, or purple, and as they mature, their colour tends towards yellow or orange, particularly in the creases. Unlike most fruiting trees, the cacao pod grows directly from the trunk or large branch of a tree rather than from the end of a branch, similar to jackfruit. This makes harvesting by hand easier as most of the pods will not be up in the higher branches. The pods on a tree do not ripen together; harvesting needs to be done periodically through the year. Harvesting occurs between three and four times weekly during the harvest season. The ripe and near- ripe pods, as judged by their colour, are harvested from the trunk and branches of the cocoa tree with a curved knife on a long pole.
- 7. Harvesting Pods containing cocoa beans grow from the trunk and branches of the cocoa tree. Harvesting involves removing ripe pods from the trees and opening them to extract the wet beans. Pods are suitable for harvest for 3 to 4 weeks, after which time the beans begin to germinate. It is therefore necessary to harvest at regular intervals as the pods do not all ripen at the same time. The frequency of harvesting can have an effect on yield.
- 8. Harvesting The pods are harvested manually by making a clean cut through the stalk with a well sharpened blade. For pods high on the tree, a pruning hook type of tool can be used with a handle on the end of a long pole. By pushing or pulling according to the position of the fruit, the upper and lower blades of the tool enable the stalk to be cut cleanly without damaging the branch which bears it. During harvesting it is important not to damage the flower cushion which will produce the flowers and fruits of subsequent harvests, and care must be taken not to damage the tree, which would make it easy for parasitic fungi to penetrate the tissues of the tree.
- 10. OPENING & EXTRACTION OF PODS • The pods are opened to remove the beans within a week to 10 days after harvesting. In general, the harvested pods are grouped together and split either in or at the edge of the plantation. • Sometimes the pods are transported to a fermenter before splitting. If the pods are opened in the planting areas the discarded husks can be distributed throughout the fields to return nutrients to the soil. • The best way of opening the pods is to use a wooden club which, if it strikes the central area of the pod, causes it to split into two halves; it is then easy to remove by hand the beans. A cutting tool, such as a machete, is often used to split the pod though this can damage the beans. Some machinery has been developed for pod opening but smallholders in general carry out the process manually. • After extraction from the pod, the beans undergo a fermentation and drying process before being bagged for delivery.
- 11. FERMENTATION • Fermentation can be carried out in a variety of ways, but all methods depend on removing the beans from the pods and piling them together or in a box to allow micro-organisms to develop and initiate the fermentation of the pulp surrounding the beans. The piles are covered by banana leaves. • The fermentation process begins with the growth of micro-organisms. In particular, yeasts grow on the pulp surrounding the beans. Insects, such as the Drosophila melanogaster or vinegar-fly, are probably responsible for the transfer of micro-organisms to the heaps of beans. • The yeasts convert the sugars in the pulp surrounding the beans to ethanol. Bacteria then start to oxidise the ethanol to acetic acid and then to carbon dioxide and water, producing more heat and raising the temperature. The pulp starts to break down and drain away during the second day.
- 12. • In anaerobic conditions, the alcohol converts to lactic acid but, as the acetic acid more actively oxidises the alcohol to acetic acid, conditions become more aerobic and halt the activity of lactic acid. • The temperature is raised to 40ºC - 45ºC during the first 48 hours of fermentation. In the remaining days, bacterial activity continues under increasing aeration conditions, as the pulp drains away and the temperature is maintained. The process of turning or mixing the beans increases aeration and consequently bacterial activity. • The acetic acid and high temperatures kill the cocoa bean by the second day. The death of the bean causes cell walls to break down and previously segregated substances to mix. This allows complex chemical changes to take place in the bean such as enzyme activity, oxidation and the breakdown of proteins into amino acids. • These chemical reactions cause the chocolate flavour and colour to develop. The length of fermentation varies depending on the bean type.
- 13. Cocoa beans after fermentation
- 14. DRYING • Cocoa beans are dried after fermentation in order to reduce the moisture content from about 60% to about 7.5%. • Drying must be carried out carefully to ensure that off-flavorous are not developed. Drying should take place slowly. • If the beans are dried too quickly some of the chemical reactions started in the fermentation process are not allowed to complete their work and the beans are acidic, with a bitter flavour. However, if the drying is too slow, moulds and off flavours can develop. • Various research studies indicate that bean temperatures during drying should not exceed 65ºC.There are two methods for drying beans - sun drying and artificial drying.
- 15. Sun drying of Cocoa Beans
- 16. Products that can be made from cocoa
- 17. Products fromHusks & Pulp • Animal feed from cocoa husk • Potash from cocoa pod husk • Production of soft drinks and alcohol from cocoa pulp juice (sweetings)
- 18. Jam and Marmalade Pectin for jam and marmalade is extracted from the sweetings by precipitation with alcohol, followed by distillation and recycling of the alcohol in further extractions.
- 19. PRODUCTS FROM COCOA BEANS Once the beans have been fermented and dried, they can be processed to produce a variety of products. These products include: Cocoa Butter Cocoa Powder Cocoa Liquor Chocolates
- 20. 1)Cocoa Butter Cocoa butter is used in the manufacture of chocolate. It is also widely used in cosmetic products such as moisturising creams and soaps.
- 21. 2)Cocoa Powder Cocoa powder can be used as an ingredient in almost any foodstuff. For example, it is used in chocolate flavoured drinks, chocolate flavoured desserts such as ice cream and mousse, chocolate spreads and sauces, and cakes and biscuits.
- 22. 3)Cocoa Liquor Cocoa liquor is used, with other ingredients, to produce chocolate. Chocolate is used as a product on its own or combined with other ingredients to form confectionery products.
- 23. 4)Chocolate Chocolate is the most popular food item prepares from cocoa beans. A large number of food products involving chocolates like cakes, puddings, mousse, chocolate chip cookies etc are widely consumed all around the world.
- 24. Manufacturing of Chocolates At the factory the processes involve in making chocolates are:- Roasting Blending Conching Tempering Moulding
- 25. Roasting Cleaning, inspecting and sorting of the beans are at the factory. Beans are roasted in special equipment at a temperature of 130−150 °С. The shells are removed and the cocoa beans are crushed into cocoa nibs Nibs are liquefied to form pure chocolate in fluid form i.e Chocolate liquor. The liquor can be further processes into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.
- 26. Roasting of cocoa beans
- 27. Blending Chocolate liquor is blended with cocoa butter in varying quantities to make different types of chocolates. The different types of chocolates are: 1. Dark Chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, liquor & vanilla) 2. Milk Chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, liquor, milk powder &vanilla) 3. White chocolate (sugar,cocoa butter, milk and vanilla)
- 28. Conching Intensive mixing at high temperature A conche (container filled with metal beads) acts as grinder, also heavy rollers can be used. This process produces cocoa and sugar particle smaller than tongue can detect, hence smooth fills the mouth. Length of this process determines the final smoothness and quality of chocolates.
- 29. Tempering It’s a long and complex process. The purpose of this process is to ensure only best and stable crystals are present. This process provides the best appearance and texture and creates the most stable structures.
- 30. Pouring into heated moulds Adding extras, if wanted (like nuts) The chocolate solidifies It is then Packed for shipping. Moulding
- 31. Storage Chocolate is very sensitive to temperature and humidity. Ideal temperature between 15 and 17 C Relative humidity of less than 50% Stored away from other food items as it can easily absorb different aromas.
- 32. Thank You