Resumen

ORTIZ DE BERTORELLI, Ligia; GRAZIANI DE FARINAS, Lucía  y  ROVEDAS L, Gervaise. Some factors affecting characteristics of fermented and sun dried cocoa grain1. Agronomía Trop. [online]. 2009, vol.59, n.2, pp.119-127. ISSN 0002-192X.

In order to evaluate the influence of the cocoa type (criollo and forastero cocoa from Cumboto, Aragua), conditions of storage of the fruit prior to fermentation (fermented and dried immediately after harvest (AM1) and 5 days after harvesting (AM2)), frequency of mixing of the fermenting mass (seeds and pulp; Fermentation was done for 5 days without mixing the fermenting mass (SR) and mixing the mass every 24 or 48 hours), and grain condition (fresh, fermented or dried), on the characteristics of fermented or sun-dried cocoa grains. Grain chemical characteristics and physical indexes were measured. Results showed that criollo cocoa had the highest acidity and humidity, fat and protein contents. Also, criollo cocoa had the lowest quantity of slatery grains, while AM2 grains and SR grains had the lowest quantities of black grain and fermented grains respectively. Regarding the color, AM2 grains showed the highest luminosity, and SR the lowest tendency to exhibit red and yellow grains. Fermentation increased the cotyledon humidity, lower pH, acidity and no changes in tannins and proteins contents. In the sun dried samples the cotyledon humidity, acidity, tannins, and proteins decreased, but there was a pH increase. In conclusion, the properties of the dry grain varied according to the evaluated factors and the chemical characteristics of the cotyledon dependent on the grain condition

Palabras clave : Theobroma cacao L; fermentation; drying; physical indexes; chemical characteristics.