- After fermentation, the cocoa beans contain moisture which provides the perfect breeding-ground for microorganisms.
- This means they aren't ready for their journey by ship to the chocolate factory in Germany, so their moisture content to 5-7%.
- The cocoa beans have to be dried in the tropical sun for one to two weeks on mats, groundsheets or roofs, they have to be turned over from time to time using a rake.
- It is essential for the cocoa beans' quality and shelf life that they're dried evenly and gently on all sides.
- Drying them in ovens, gives a risk of giving the cocoa beans a smoky flavour.
- There are modern heat exchangers, but they are very expensive.
- During the drying stage, the cocoa beans take on their typical flavour and color and shrink to half to their original size.
- After their moisture content got checked, they are ready to be transported.