1. Production of cocoa powder by: Martin Bremen

2. Production steps of cocoa powder Preparation of the cocoa fruit Final steps to the cocoa powder harvest core break conditioning milling & peeling roasting thermal pre-treatment cleaning drying fermenting dutching improvement of solubility powdering / fine grinding pressing cocoa powder kibbling fluid cocoa mass

3. Preparation of the cocoa fruit Harvest: With the aid of long picking knifes the cocoa fruits get separated from the trees. Afterwards the fruits are opened with machetes and the flesh as well as the cocoa beans are brought out of the shell. The picture shows an opened cocoa fruit with the white flesh in which the cocoa beans are sticking. Fermenting: For fermentation, the beans and the flesh are put between banana leaves or stored in big wooden boxes for about 5 to 6 days. During this time the fermentation process takes place. High temperatures around 45°C to 50°C arise, which release a variety of chemical and biological processes.

4. Aims of the fermentation: o separate the flesh from the beans effectively o kill the germination capacity of the seeds to make them storable o form flavourings respectively their precursors o get the brown colour of the beans Drying: After fermenting the beans consist of 60% water. To achieve a well durability the beans have to be dried in the tropic sun. After drying the content of water is reduced to maximal 7%, so that the durability is much better. Besides the solar radiation progresses a special aroma. Aims of drying: o achieve durability of the beans o progressing of aroma

5. Cleaning: After transportation to the cocoa fabric the cocoa beans are mostly contaminated with foreign particles like sand, dust, wood, glass, stones and other stuffs. This foreign particles are removed by filters, magnets and air flows. Thermal pre-treatment: The thermal pre-treatment is used to reduce bacteria and to improve the cocoa core break recovery. The treatment can be done by infrared treatment or by the use of hot-air or hot-steam. Roasting: The common temperature for roasting is between 100°C and 140°C. The exact temperature depends on the type of cocoa bean, the quality of the beans and the desired taste. The time for the roasting process depends on the cocoa beans, the roasting temperature and on the used roasting technique. If high temperatures are used roasting time is between 15 and 20 minutes. At lower temperatures roasting time can be more then one hour. Because of the different sizes of the cocoa beans, each cocoa bean should have a different roasting time. That’s why only the core break is roasted today instead of the whole bean.

6. During roasting, chemical processes takes place, which are essential for taste and aroma. Aims of roasting: o open up the final aroma, up to 400 flavours arise o removal of water in the beans o easy separating of the shell and core o get the brown colour of the beans Milling & peeling: During the milling process first the cocoa beans are broken into little pieces by strong rolls. The milling process can also be realized by throwing the beans (with very high speeds) against steel plates. Afterwards the light shell pieces are blown away by strong air flows. The result of this peeling process is the remaining of the cocoa core break.

7. MillingPeeling Core break conditioning: Inside the core break there are some undesirable taste and smell substances (e.g. acetaldehyde, acetone, i-butanol, ethanol, i-propanol, etc.). Based on the fact that it is easier to remove these substances out of the solid core break as out of the cocoa mass, in which these substances are enclosed by the cocoa butter, the core break gets conditioned. Aim of milling & peeling: o Dividing of beans and shell

8. The conditioning is done in a special pressure reactor in which a alkaline dissolution is given. Advantages of the conditioning: o the taste of the cocoa can be improved o mould and yeast fungi, as well as micro-organism can be mostly abolished Kibbling: During the kibbling process the cocoa core break is grinded in a roll system. The epithelium of the break pieces is ruptured and the cocoa butter is exposing. The heat that is arising by the kibbling process melts the cocoa butter. The cocoa core break becomes a fluid cocoa mass. cocoa mass

9. Final steps to the cocoa powder Dutching: (alkalisation) Dutching is the treatment of the cocoa mass with alkaline salts (e.g. potash or sodium carbonate). After dutching it is easier to separate the fat from the cocoa mass. However the most important point is, that by dutching the taste and colour of the prospective cocoa powder can be influenced. Aims of dutching: o simplify the squeezing of the cocoa butter o influence the colour and taste of the cocoa powder Pressing: The preheated cocoa mass with temperatures around 80°C and 90°C is compressed in large hydraulic presses. Pressures up to 900 bar can be generated. As a result the fat is pressed out and drains of as a golden, clear cocoa butter. According to press duration the fat content can be reduced from 52% to 10% or 22%. The “cocoa press cake” is left over in the press.

10. Cocoa press cakes with a fat content over 30% can not be processed to cocoa powder because it would form clumps. The produced cocoa butter is not useable for the cocoa powder production but can be used for production of chocolate or pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Aims of pressing: o reduction of the fat content lower than 30% to be able to produce powder o separated the cocoa butter from the cocoa cake Cocoa butter Cocoa press cake

11. 1) Filling of the press 2) Pressing & separating of cocoa press cake and cocoa butter

12. Improvement of solubility: Cocoa powder, which should be suitable for the production of drinking powder (so called: instant powder) must be well mixable with cold milk or cold water and is not allowed to form clumps or settle at the ground. Due to the fact that the percentage of the solvable parts of the cocoa powder is only 6% to 8% (compared to coffee: 48%) the cocoa press cake is coated on the surface by a vapour phase or a hydrous aerosol fog and gets jammy because of this. The result of this coating process is an improved solubility. Powdering / fine grinding: Finally the cocoa press cake is grinded in spike-roller-crusher into fine cocoa powder. Cocoa press cake cocoa powder Spike-roller-crusher

13. The resulting cocoa powder is used as a row material for a variety of chocolate products, such as: sauces, biscuits (cakes, cookies), ice cream, chocolate mousse, chocolate pudding, chocolate drinks, and much more... The end