56 The Fermentation of Cacao 
boiling those materials with moderately con- 
centrated solution of caustic potash. It seems 
probable that it is a certain concomitant of the 
fat which causes the production of the flavour, 
after being moderately oxidized during the 
drying of the beans. Only seeds in which 
the oxidizing enzymes have produced changes 
can yield the true aroma by roasting, not the 
fresh beans.’ 
In the manufacture of the cacao powder of 
commerce the f&t of the beans is more or less 
removed, since a suitable powder cannot other- 
wise be obtained, but in the direct manufacture 
of chocolate this removal of the cacao fat can- 
not be justified. It is claimed that cacao fat or 
cacao butter is difficult of digestion, but in 
reality cacao butter is as easily digestible as 
cow’s butter. Besides, the removal of fat also 
diminishes the aroma of the chocolate. In the 
manufacture of chocolate in Porto Rico, fer- 
mented cacao seeds are placed in a small 
baker’s oven for about one hour, until the testa 
have become very brittle and can be easily 
removed. This roasting temperature is kept 
considerably lower than that required for 
1 Fresh beans were crushed, washed with alcohol, and 
the oil extracted with ether. Neither the extracted fat 
nor the seed powder developed on moderate heating any 
flavour resembling that of cacao; only the alcoholic 
extract yielded thus a very faint flavour of cacao. On 
evaporation of the alcoholic extract another aromatic 
odour is noticed. 
