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dix minutes, on obtient des graines qui, lavées et brossées pour 
enlever la pulpe, sont alors sechées et se conservent ensuite 
trés bien, sans aucune modification, et en conservant leur belle 
couleur violette naturelle. 
Il y avait lieu de se demander, si des graines aussi traitées 
étaient utilisables par l’industrie du chocolat, car on prétendait 
que la saveur de la graine était donnée par la fermentation. 
J’ai donc fait stériliser 4 la Cote d’Ivoire 200 kg. de cacao, 
et l’ai soumis, par l’intermediaire d’une des plus grosses firmes 
francaises de chocolat, au traitement industriel. 
A Vétonnement de celui’qui fut chargé de la torréfaction, 
le cacao devint odorant et ne le cedait en rien aux produits 
obtenus par fermentation dans la méme region. 
Voici donc une série d’expériences montrant que la 
fermentation du cacao ne semble pas utile pour obtenir un 
excellent produit industrilisable; je crois pouvoir dire que la 
stérilisation aurait Pavantage double de ne pas élever les prix 
de revient et de plus assurerait aux industriels une régularité 
remarquable dans la production de chaque plantation. 
[Translation.|—In the notes published by me on the question 
of the fermentation of cocoa, I have considered this fermenta- 
tion from two points of view: (1) That of simplifying if possible 
the preparation by rendering it more methodical and more 
rigorously scientific without increasing the net cost of pro- 
duction; (2) that of supplying to the consuming industry a 
regular product always of uniform qualhty. 
The treatment of the pulp by carbonate of potash shows 
that this pulp can be more easily removed than would appear 
believable, for it must not be forgotten that the method of 
fermentation as at present practised is almost as primitive as 
in the time of the ancient Mexicans. 
From researches which I have been able to make it appears 
that this fermentation is not necessary in order to obtain an 
industrial product. In fact, if a current of steam at low 
pressure is led into a suitable enclosed space in which fresh 
cocoa beans have been placed, and the beans are left in contact 
with the steam, the beans become sterilized—stabilized, as we 
say—and are thereafter incapable of spontaneously undergoing 
any chemical change. 
By stabilization in steam under pressure for ten minutes 
beans are obtained which, after being washed and brushed to 
remove the pulp, are dried and will then keep in good preser- 
vation without change, whilst at the same time retaining their 
fine natural violet colour. : 
There is good reason for asking if beans thus treated could 
