Resumo

TORRES, Oneida; FARINAS, Lucía Graziani; ORTIZ DE BERTORELLI, Ligia  e  TRUJILLO, América. Efecto del tiempo transcurrido entre la cosecha y el desgrane de la mazorca del cacao tipo forastero de Cuyagua sobre características del grano en fermentación¹ . Agronomía Trop. [online]. 2004, vol.54, n.4, pp.481-490. ISSN 0002-192X.

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the time period, elapsed between harvesting and shelling of cocoa, Theobroma cacao L., bean, on some physicals and chemicals characteristics during fermentation. For this purpose, ripe and healthy cocoa beans, of forastero type, were harvested in the area of Cuyagua, Aragua State: a first lot was shelled just after the beans were harvested, and another lot of beans were shelled 5 days after they were harvested. Both lots were fermented in wood boxes for 6 days. Temperature was measured in a daily base, and the fermentation index at 0, 3 and 6 days during fermentation. Analyses of moisture, tannins, pH and total titratable acidity in pulp + testa and cotyledon there were also measured. The results showed that, by delaying cocoa bean shelling, the fermentation process was developed more rapidly, and higher temperatures for cocoa mass as well as superior fermentation indexes were reached. Also, by delaying the shelling, low tannin contents, higher pHs in pulp + testa, as well as an increase in acidity in the cotyledon were observed. During the fermentation process the temperature of the cocoa mass was increased until the third day, and there was a progressive increase of the fermentation index. There was an increase in pH level as well as a reduction of moisture, tannins and total acidity in pulp + testa. Total acidity increased, and levels of pH decreased in cotyledon.

Palavras-chave : Theobroma cacao L; physical characteristics; chemical characteristics; fermented grain.