258 The Fermentation of Cacao 



The Bulletin of 'the Imperial Institute (vol. x, 

 No. 2, July, 1912) includes an interesting 

 article on the preparation of W r est African 

 cacao (pp. 239-247). On p. 243, when dis- 

 cussing certain experiments which have been 

 carried out in that Colony in preparing beans 

 for market without fermentation, the report 

 tells us : " In preparing cacao beans for market, 

 fermentation is usually resorted to, and for this 

 purpose the beans and adherent pulp, after 

 being removed from the pod, are placed in a 

 vat or other receptacle where micro-organisms 

 bring about fermentation, the temperature of 

 the mass rising from 30 to 50 C. The germ 

 of the bean is killed in this process, and at the 

 same time the astringent matter in the fresh 

 bean is destroyed to a great extent, and the 

 colour changes from a purplish hue to a rich 

 brown. The chief object of this process is to 

 kill the bean without injuring the enzymes, 

 probably chiefly oxidases, which are stated to 

 be the real means of reducing the bitterness 

 and altering the colour, for which reason the 

 beans are frequently turned to keep the 

 temperature below 60 C. 



" Several new methods of bringing about 

 these changes have been proposed. Dr. 

 Fickendey, Victoria, Cameroons, has sug- 

 gested that the beans should be subjected, 

 after removal of the pulp, to changes of tem- 

 perature, either by heating them to 50 or 

 60 C. (122 or 140 F.) for twenty-four hours, 



