CACAO FERMENTATION 151 



if they had been fermented with the skin on it would have 

 taken three or four times as long to have secured the same 

 colour to the kernel of the bean. The bean, when thus 

 treated, is liable to mould very rapidly, but in break, 

 colour, and aroma, it was all that could be desired in a 

 high-class cacao. It would hardly be practicable, however, 

 to treat cacao on the same lines in large quantities, nor 

 would it be desirable, but the experiment adds something 

 to the knowledge of the process which has so long been 

 followed. 



An examination by the author of beans fresh froiji the 

 pod showed the following : 



Oz. 



Total weight from inside pod — No. 1 . . . . . . 3'75 



Weight of pulp and testa or skin of seed removed . . 1'65 

 Kernel (clean) . . . . ^ . . . 1-75 



3-40 



Loss during operation ...... -35 



Total weight from inside pod — No. 2 5'40 



Weight of pulp and testa or skin of seed removed . . 2'40 

 Kernel (clean) 2-40 



- 4-80 



Loss during operation -60 



The pods were ripe pods, and the entire contents were 

 removed from the shell after it was opened and then 

 carefully weighed. After weighing the pulp, the testa or 

 skin of the seed was removed and the waste and cleaned 

 bean again weighed as above. It will be seen that the 

 pulp surrounding the bean, with the placenta, weighs nearly 

 the same as the cleaned kernel, and shows the weight of 

 easily fermentable material present. 



The skin or testa of the bean, after having allowed the 

 changes caused by fermentation to happen to the kernel 

 through its membraneous texture, is finally useful in 

 preventing the ingress of the microscopic fungi or mould, 

 which would destroy the interior parts, the toughened 

 covering acting as an efficient preservative of the interior 

 once it is properly cured. If not properly cured the testa 

 or skin cracks, fungus spores enter, and the interior 

 becomes mouldy and rapidly loses quality. 



