Dr. A. Schulte im Hofe 105 



should only be continued up to when the 

 bluish-violet colour of the cotyledons turns 

 to a reddish-violet and the bean has, by 

 absorption, become full of fluid. When only 

 slightly acidified beans are insufficiently oxi- 

 dized, a harsh, bitter cacao is produced, and 

 it was probably to render the taste milder that 

 longer periods of fermentation were intro- 

 duced ; for during protracted fermentation, 

 especially when occurring at the higher 

 temperatures, oxidation 'takes place as well. 

 The beans, however, become over-acidified 

 and the cacao thus obtained, although milder 

 in flavour, has a sour taste. Should butyric 

 acid fermentation be added on the top of 

 this, then the sour taste is diminished, but the 

 cacao acquires a rancid flavour, becomes rough 

 to the palate, and darkens in colour. In both 

 cases the aroma is lost. By employing the 

 methods commonly used, therefore, unless the 

 conditions happen to be particularly favourable, 

 either a harsh and bitter, 1 or a sour or rancid 

 cacao is obtained. 



The simplest, cheapest, and most certain 

 method of fermentation is that obtained by 

 the use of floors (tennen- fermentation}. Here 

 the cacao beans are emptied on to covered 

 floors in layers, varying in depth according 

 to the temperature or weather conditions, and 

 turned over at least once a day. In this case 



1 Possibly this is what the trade calls " ham-my " 

 cacao. H. H. S. 



