LOSSES ENTAILED BY WASHING COCOA 155 



them states : " Washing cocoa. We believe this to be 

 a useless and even to some degree a harmful practice, 

 as it makes the shell brittle and less protection to the 

 bean, and it is naturally more likely to take up foreign 

 scents and to lose its own aroma ; we should not give 

 a higher price for cocoa because it was washed." And 

 further : " We consider the preparation for market of by 

 far the largest proportion of Bahia, Trinidad, Grenada, 

 San Thome, and Kamerun cocoa is perfectly satisfactory 

 to the consumer, and dislike any tampering with the 

 bean, as by washing, claying, oiling, etc." The opinion 

 of the other cocoa-buying firm consulted is directly con- 

 tradictory, i.e. : " We prefer washed cocoa, because in this 

 case the shell is more likely to be clean and thinner, and 

 therefore there would be less loss of weight when the 

 clean bean is finally secured " ; and "In buying cocoa we 

 certainly do go into the question of loss of weight by 

 moisture and shell and have carefully worked out a table 

 of the various cocoas, showing their different losses. In 

 many cases the loss through moisture and shell amounts 

 to some 25 Ib. and over per cwt." 



It is thus apparent that even in the same market, 

 buyers are not in accord on this subject, for while one 

 section of buyers favours washed cocoa the other may 

 prefer the product unwashed. The grower must there- 

 fore decide for himself which method is likely to be the 

 more profitable to him. When artificial drying facilities 

 are not available he should seriously consider the ad- 

 visability of washing his cocoa in view of the more hygro- 

 scopic character of unwashed beans and the fact that 

 they require a longer drying period. 



As an instance of the advantages accruing from washing 

 cocoa the enhanced price which Ceylon washed cocoa 

 realises as compared with Trinidad unwashed cocoa is 

 sometimes quoted. 



The superior price obtained for the former is, however, 

 more due to its containing a greater percentage of cinna- 

 mon-coloured kernels, which is a characteristic of the 

 beans with white cotyledons when cured. 



The residual slime is usually washed off fermented 

 cocoa beans by placing them in a basket under a stream 

 of running water and vigorously rubbing them with the 

 hand or by trampling upon them with the naked feet. 



