One of the problems with the fermentation process is conducted in the Central Highlands of Vietnam is a low ambient temperatures may be encountered and this is believed to adversely affect the fermentation of cocoa. in a trying to overcome this, a "hot house" was built to conduct the fermentation process. the heat is similar to a solar dryer in that it had a wing with a black stone set in, but instead of a dry bed, had a compartment with the roof level for the position of the fermentation box. Sides and roof of the prevent the hinge allows lifting the roof and side. | 013VIE05 Milestone 7 WASI Fermentation Trial 2. April 2007 TRIAL TITLE HOT HOUSE FERMENTATIONS Introduction One of the problems with fermentations conducted in the Western Highlands of Vietnam is that low ambient temperatures can be encountered and this is thought to adversely affect the fermentation of cocoa. In an attempt to overcome this a hot house was constructed to conduct fermentations in. The hot house was similar to a solar drier in that it had a set of wings with black rocks placed inside but instead of a drying bed had a compartment with a level roof for placement of the fermentation boxes. The side and roof of the compartment were hinged to allow lifting of the roof and opening the side to allow placement of the fermentation box and turning of beans. In addition to treatments inside and outside of the hothouse two treatments were conducted in which beans were spread on a concrete surface for two hours and four hours before placing in fermentation boxes. Spreading of the beans allows moisture to run off from the beans and therefore increases the rate of aeration of the fermenting mass once beans are placed in fermentation boxes. These treatments were added as it had been demonstrated during trials at Nong Lam University that beans spread in this manner had a much more rapid rise in temperature during fermentation. Materials and Methods The factors mentioned in the introduction led to four fermentation treatments being conducted at Western Highlands Agricultural Science Institute WASI . These treatments were as follows WS1 50 kg box fermentation placed in the hot house WS2 50kg box fermentation placed in ambient conditions WS3 50kg box fermentation where the beans were spread out over a concrete surface for two hours before placement in the box. WS4 50kg box fermentation where the beans were spread out over a concrete surface for four hours before placement in the box. Hot-house for cocoa fermentation incubation Opening hot-house with cocoa fermenting box
