- Fermentation is when biological materials or foodstuffs are altered by enzymes.
- There are 3 fermentation stages in total.
- The first one is called Anaerobic stage, which is when the fruit flesh is broken down with the help of yeast, which then creates alcohol.
- The pulp liquefies and separates from the cocoa seeds and starts t germinate and produce enzymes which later determines the taste.
- The second stage is called Aerobic stage, which is where the air which enters between beans oxidises the alcohol which then forms acetic acid.
- The temperature rises 45 to 50 degrees celsius which kills off the cocoa seeds and turns them into cocoa beans.
- The temperature rises 45 to 50 degrees celsius which kills off the cocoa seeds and turns them into cocoa beans.
- The final stage is called Postmortal stage, which is where the proteins in the dead seeds are split by enzymes, creating essentrial precursors to the cocoa flavour.
- The cocoa beans change color from purple to brown, The most common method is called heap fermentation, which involves the white pulp being spread out with cocoa seed on banana leaves, which then gers covered with another layer of leaves.
- The cocoa beans change color from purple to brown, The most common method is called heap fermentation, which involves the white pulp being spread out with cocoa seed on banana leaves, which then gers covered with another layer of leaves.
- At some plantations the cocoa beans are put into baskets (basket fermentation or barrels (barrel fermentation or in large wooden boxes (box fermentation).