Effects of fermentation and drying on the fermentation index and cut test of pulp pre-conditioned Ghanaian cocoa (Theobroma cacao) beans

Abstract

Investigations were conducted to establish effects of fermentation and drying on the fermentation index (FI) and cut test ofpulp pre-conditioned Ghanaian cocoa beans using a 4 x 3 full factorial experimental design with the principal factors being pod storage (0, 3, 7 and 10 d) and fermentation time (0, 3 and 6 d) to study the changes occurring during the fermentation process. The study also used a 4 x 3 full factorial design with pod storage (0, 3, 7 and 10 d) and drying time (0, 3 and 7 d) being the principal factors investigated to study the changes occurring during the drying process. FI and cut test of the beans were studied during fermentation as well as the drying process. FI of the beans increased significantly with pod storage and fermentation but decreased slightly during drying. FI of the unfermented beans increased slightly from 0.674 for the unstored pods to 0.763 after 10 days of pod storage. The FI of the fermented beans (six days fermentation) also increased from 1.390 for the unstored pods to 1.424 for pods stored for 10 days. It decreased from 1.389 at the start of drying for the unstored pods to 1.105 for pods stored for 10 days at the end of drying (seven days). FI of all the beans were however, above 1.0 at the end of fermentation and drying for all pod storage treatments. Cut test revealed that storage of pods for 3, 7 and 10 days increased the percentage of brown beans by 66%, 94% and 72%, respectively, by the sixth day of fermentation. Percentage of brown beans decreased to 61%, 76% and 63%, respectively, for pods stored for 3, 7 and 10 d at the end of drying (seven days). Cocoa pods can be stored for up to 10 days, fermented for six days and dried for seven days with the necessary formation of brown pigments characteristics of well fermented and dried cocoa beans