Cocoa Processing Steps

The cocoa production process refers to the process in which cocoa beans undergo a series of processing steps to finally produce cocoa powder and cocoa butter.

1. Harvesting of cocoa pods

Cocoa beans grow on cocoa trees in subtropical (Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia) and tropical areas (Cameroon, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Trinidad and Tobago, Ecuador, Venezuela, etc.), generally Picked when ripe on the tree. When picking, choose ripe fruits, usually red or yellow. After picking, cocoa beans need to be processed as soon as possible to maintain their freshness.

2. Fermentation of cocoa beans

After harvesting, cocoa beans need to be fermented to remove the mucilage and bitterness in the beans. The cocoa beans are usually placed in large baskets or piled on the ground to ferment naturally. During the fermentation process, the temperature of the cocoa beans will rise and the surface will turn black. The fermentation time is generally 2-7 days, and the specific time depends on the variety of cocoa beans and weather conditions.

3.Drying of cocoa beans

After fermentation, the moisture content of the beans needs to be reduced from 55% to 7.5%. The cacao beans are spread out on large trays or mats and to dry in the sun, takes around a week.

4. Roasting of cocoa beans

Dried cocoa beans need to be roasted to increase the aroma of the cocoa beans. The baking temperature is generally between 110-149 degrees Celsius and the baking time is about 20-30 minutes. After roasting, the color of the cocoa beans changes to dark brown and the appearance becomes crisper and harder.

5.Crushing and winnowing

The roasted beans are then crushed by a crushing machine into small pieces called nibs. The nibs are then winnowed to remove the outer shell or husk, leaving behind the cocoa nibs.

6.Cocoa liquor grinding of cocoa beans

After roasting, cocoa beans need to be grinding to obtain cocoa liquor. During the grinding process, the cocoa beans are broken into small particles and the cocoa liquor is dissolved through mechanical force and heat.

7.Separation of cocoa butter and cocoa cake

The grinding cocoa beans contain cocoa liquor, which needs to be pressed by hydraulic press machine to get the cocoa cake and cocoa butter. Cocoa butter are the main raw materials for making chocolate

8.Grinding powder of cocoa cake

Grinding the cocoa cake into cocoa powder. Cocoa powder can be used to make chocolate, drinks, desserts and other foods

Application of cocoa powder, cocoa butter and cocoa liquor

Cocoa powder,cocoa butter and cocoa liquor are the main raw materials for making chocolate. Cocoa powder can be used to make chocolate, drinks, desserts and other foods, while cocoa butter can be used to make chocolate, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other products. The content and ratio of cocoa powder and cocoa butter will affect the taste and texture of the final product.