How to properly harvest and process cocoa

Many customers who come to buy cocoa powder at our unit have asked how to process such high quality and high quality cocoa powder bags. To be able to answer that question, Trong Duc Cacaao will share with you how to harvest and process cocoa properly.

Harvesting and processing steps cacao

1. Harvest ripe fruit:

When the tree has a life span of 2 and a half years, it can begin to bear fruit, but normally the time is from 3 to 4 years, from the time of pollination to the time of fruit ripening is about 6 months from the beginning. harvest.

Picking fruit: Pick the fruit that is really ripe, don't let the fruit be overripe because the seeds can germinate inside. And also should not pick fruit that is too young , makes the yield low and not high quality.

- When starting to ripen, the green color of the fruit skin will turn yellow and then orange yellow.

Note: When picking fruit, be careful not to let the flower pillow (the place where the flowers bloom) be damaged or hurt because it will cause damage to the next crop, also creates conditions for pathogens to invade enter the tree. The fruits that are at our level are cut with a knife, and for the taller ones, we have to use fruit picking tools to harvest them.

- The process of threshing fruit to get seeds: threshing fruit to get seeds must be done right after picking, should not be more than 4 days, time from threshing to remove seeds until fermenting is not more than 24 hours.

2. Fermentation process

There are many different composting methods, but often farmers make using a fork or wooden crate. Before adding the seeds, then cover the top with banana leaves. Every 48 hours will be out mix once. Incubation period is 3-7 days (depending on variety), Criollo only needs 3 days, while Forastero, Trinitario varieties are 7 days. To check grain fermentation is complete or not, we use a knife to cut across the grain , if the chlorophyll of the grain changes from white or purple to chocolate brown, then the fermentation is complete.

To know if the cocoa beans have fermented enough, can smell the barrel. When mixing, smelling of vinegar, the fermentation is not enough, but if smells of vinegar, it has changed to ammonia (slight smell) fermentation is completed. At this point, if the seeds are cut, the dark purple color of Forastero and Trinitario has turned to a slightly darker purple, then the seeds have fermented well. Note that the purple color of the unbrewed Trinitario is lighter than the Forastero's but also darker than the matured seed.

When brewing is done, put it in the water to scrub the rice shell, then dry it.

Note: brewing has a very important role in the quality of cocoa beans. The aroma of cocoa is only released during incubation, if incubation is not properly, has not reached the peak of fermentation, the quality of the grain will decrease di a lot. The temperature when incubating inside the bin can be up to 50oC, the outside is lower, so mixing well is very important and keeping it hot and humid is good. If the barrel is cooler or less hot, the fermentation of the seeds will not be successful and may rot.

- Drying seeds

The seeds after fermentation are scrubbed clean and then dried to reduce the moisture content from 60 to 6 - 7% for storage. Usually, people dry them by spreading the seeds in a thin layer on a mattress, bamboo mulch, etc. to dry. Usually people make a drying rack about 40 - 50cm above the ground to prevent pigs, chickens and ducks from breaking. People dry like that about 8 - 15 days, then the seeds dry (depending on more or less sunshine). After drying, it is necessary to select all the seeds of pests and diseases and keep them separate and thus we have completed the preliminary processing and sold them.

Trong Duc Cacao – The address to supply pure cocoa powder in Vietnam

Trong Duc Cacao is a distributor of products from cocoa beans, pure cocoa powder and finished products made from cocoa powder and cocoa beans such as Cocoa butter, 3in1 cocoa powder, weight loss cocoa powder... roasted cocoa beans,...

Trong Duc Cacao ensures to supply 100% pure cocoa powder, without mixing impurities or additives...

With a long-standing reputation in the market, Trong Duc Cacao is a reputable brand known to consumers as the address for providing pure cocoa powder. Trong Duc Cacao commits to:

The company's products are guaranteed to be 100% pure, without mixing additives and flavorings to create colors and odors.

Packed firmly, limiting damage during storage and transportation; Standard parameters and instructions for use are pre-printed on the packaging.

The staff is enthusiastic, responsible and professional.

All customer comments are quickly responded to within 24 hours.