152 The Fermentation of Cacao 



Loss by Washing the Cacao. 



A few determinations were made in regard 

 to the greater loss of weight the cacao sustains 

 after fermentation, if it is washed and then 

 dried, as compared with the method of drying 

 it immediately after fermentation. 



In Surinam one usually estimates that the 

 loss through washing is very considerable, it 

 even being admitted to be as much as 15 to 

 1 8 per cent. 



I found, however, that this depreciation only 

 came to 4 to 5 per cent., except in a solitary 

 case of badly-sweated cacao that was dirty, 

 when it was found to be 8 per cent. 



In practice these figures will be lower still, 

 as small lots such as I washed will be more 

 perfectly and thoroughly treated than large 

 quantities. Taking this into consideration, the 

 figures obtained by me compare favourably 

 with those given by Preuss l in regard to the 

 loss by washing, i.e., 4 per cent. 



When taking into consideration that buyers 

 in Surinam only pay 2 cents per kilo more for 

 washed cacao than they do for unwashed, it is 

 evident that with a low price of 55 to 60 cents, 

 a loss of profit ensues, seeing that 2*2 to 2*4 

 cents already is lost by the washing, and only 

 2 cents recouped ; moreover this does not 

 include the washers' wages, and other costs 

 necessitated by the process. 



1 Preuss, " Reise nach Central- und Sud Amerika," 

 1901, p. 176. 



