COCOA BEANS
Cocoa Exporter
The cocoa beans obtained from the ripe cocoa fruit become ready after they are fermented and dried. Cocoa butter and cocoa powder are obtained from it. Cocoa blessings are the foundation of chocolate. Its natural growing area is near South America, West Africa, West Indies, it is cultivated throughout the Tropics.
Information about the benefits of cocoa fruit grown in Obala city of Cameroon, which is the 4th in the world in cocoa cultivation, and how the cocoa beans extracted from the fruit are fermented.
Important points
- Good and timely harvest
- Good fermentation process
- How to get the cocoa beans in good establishments ?
- How to obtain quality elements with the qualities that cocoa butter and cocoa powder factories are looking for by processing cocoa?
Good and timely harvest
Cocoa trees, which tend to bloom and produce fruit almost throughout the year, are detected. After the process of transforming from flowers to fruits, the cacao fruits are followed and the maturing fruits are harvested. Ripe fruits have reddish, dark yellow, orange and dark green colors. During the harvesting process, the cocoa fruits growing on the trunks of the trees are cut off with a special cutting tool without damaging the trees.
Good and correct fermentation process:
In order to open the cocoa fruits, the fruits are broken and opened by hitting them with a thick piece of wood. The raw cocoa beans are taken from their shells and placed in baskets. Then they are transported to the place where they will be fermented
Why are cocoa beans fermented?
A cacao bean consists of a seed coat, a bean, and a seed. Cocoa beans are fermented to destroy the seed coat, kill the microbe, and give the cocoa a nice flavor.
How are the cocoa beans fermented?
Generally, cocoa growers ferment the beans in batches. They are carried on a flat and dry place, covered with banana travel. The fermentation yields good result when the beans are mixed and raked from time to time. Fermentation takes 6 to 10 days. The beans are initially purple and turn a dark brown color over time. Cocoa beans should be dried properly.
According to farmers in our region, slow-drying fermented cocoa beans have a pleasant bitterness and desirable flavors in cocoa. As a company, we also hold this opinion.
The drying time of the beans usually takes five to seven days to bring the moisture percentage from 70% to 7%. This can be done using two different methods: sun drying or artificial drying.
Sun drying is a common traditional practice, especially for small farmers, as it is significantly cheaper than artificial drying Cocoa beans are spun or raked onto mats or concrete floors to form a thin layer and dry them evenly.
This method can be done in places with longer dry seasons and takes about 5 to 10 days.
Artificial drying uses machine drying to reduce moisture of the cocoa products. This method is enabling the cocoa farmers to invest more. It maintains this method to enable cocoa farmers to invest more.
Failure to properly dry the cocoa beans can lead to poor quality yields that must be sold at a lower price. Cocoa loses its properties if rewetting occurs due to excessive humidity in the air
The most important quality feature of the cocoa beans we store for export is that it maintains the ideal humidity of 7%. OUR DISTANCE TO THE OCEAN IS 240 KM. Dried cacao beans stored for 2-3 months in hangars by the ocean by other companies are exposed to high humidity, causing mold and bad taste.
We are now in the big summer season. That is, the dry season, which starts in November, continues until the end of April. This season should be evaluated well. The fact that the rains do not fall throughout the season and the humidity is low is the best time to obtain quality cocoa beans
