It is generally understood that the length of the fermentation process has an effect on the quality attributes of cocoa. Properties affected include bark content, pH, titrable acidity (TA), test results and the properties cutting taste. it also been demonstrated that soaking seeds in water, after fermentation, resulting in higher dry cocoa percentage of brown seeds, bark less content and improved flavor characteristics, (Hollywood, NW 1997). This test is done to prove whether the effects of fermentation time and soak application Vietnam to cocoa | 013 VIE05 FERMENTATION AND DRYING TRIAL AT NLU September 2007. ATTACHMENT TO MILESTONE 7 REPORT TRIAL TITLE USE OF A SOAKING PROCEDURE TO IMPROVE DRY BEAN ATTRIBUTES Introduction It is generally understood that the length of fermentation has an effect on the quality attributes of cocoa. Attributes affected include shell content pH titrable acidity TA cut test results and flavour attributes. It has also been demonstrated that soaking of beans in water after fermentation leads to dried cocoa with higher brown bean percentages lower shell content and improved flavour characteristics Hollywood N. W. 1997 . This trial was undertaken to demonstrate whether the effects of fermentation time and soaking were applicable to Vietnamese cocoa. Materials and Methods The factors mentioned in the introduction led to the conduct of a fermentation where sub-samples were taken for drying on days five six and seven of the fermentation. These sub-samples were then divided into two with one half being soaked in water for two hours before placement on the dryer. The other half was placed directly on the dryer. This lead to 6 dried bean samples being generated as follows 1. Five days fermented un-soaked 2. Five days fermented plus soaked 3. Six days fermented un-soaked 4. Six days fermented plus soaked 5. Seven days fermented un-soaked 6. Seven days fermented plus soaked. Pods were a mixture of clones and hybrids from Dak Lak and stored for eight days prior to breaking. Beans were also spread in an indoor area for four hours prior to being placed in the fermentation box. This spreading procedure led to an moisture loss. After spreading of wet beans were left and these were fermented in a wooden box at 45cm bean depth for seven days. Sub-samples were taken on days 5 6 and 7. These beans were then treated as listed above and dried on a solar dryer at Nong Lam University. Beans were turned in the boxes on days two and four. Temperatures of the fermentations were taken from the .
