Effect of Mechanical Depulping on the Biochemical, Physicochemicaland Polyphenolic Constituents During Fermentation and Drying of Ghanaian Cocoa Beans

Effect of Mechanical Depulping on the Biochemical, Physicochemicaland Polyphenolic Constituents During Fermentation and Drying of Ghanaian Cocoa Beans

DT Amanquah

This work investigated the effects of mechanical depulping (asa means of pulp pre-conditioning) on thechemical, physicochemical and polyphenolic constituents during fermentation and drying of Ghanaian cocoa beans. The fermentation study and the drying study were conducted using a 5x4 factorial experiment with the principal factors being;(a) concentration of depulped beans (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%),(b) fermentation time (0, 2, 4 and 6 days) and (a) concentration of depulped beans (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%),(b) drying time (0, 2, 4 and 6 days) respectively. Ripe cocoa pods were depulped using a mechanical depulper and the depulped beans mixed with undepulped beans in a pre-determined ratio prior to fermentation. All parameters were studied using standard methods.

2013