68 The Fermentation of Cacao 



of 96 per cent, alcohol, in which the beans, 

 after all the pulp surrounding them has been 

 carefully removed; are laid for ten minutes, and 

 then left for four or five days suspended over 

 the alcohol. After this they must be laid for 

 one minute in water, and then dried. The 

 germs can also be killed by freezing if the 

 beans, placed in a glass vessel filled with 

 water, are exposed to the influence of a freez- 

 ing apparatus. In both cases it is with the 

 access of air that the cotyledons in the bean 

 gradually turn brown and, at the same time, 

 lose their bitter taste ; but such beans differ 

 from those that have been fermented in one 

 point, viz., in the aroma. This is but natural, 

 and could not be otherwise, as the fermenting 

 process causes all sorts of substances to pene- 

 trate into the beans, and these affect the taste 

 and aroma, beneficially or otherwise. Never- 

 theless the beans so treated (i.e., placed in 

 alcohol or under the influence of freezing- 

 water) still have the recognized chocolate 

 flavour. 



The browning of the cotyledons and the 

 removal of the bitter taste are in the relation 

 of cause and effect. The bitter taste is to 

 be attributed to the presence of substances 

 containing tannin, and the brow r n colouring 

 is due to the changes that the beans undergo 

 on account of the oxidation of these tannic 

 substances. If a bean is cut through, the 

 exposed surface turns brown, which peculiarity 



