CacaoCacao Distribution of Wild Theobroma Family – Sterculiaceae Genus – Theobroma Species - cacao Adaptation of Cacao Adapted to Hot, Humid Tropics Understorey plant of tropical rain forest Temperature – 18-32ºC (23-26ºC) – 15ºC lowest tolerated – Below 10ºC damages tree Moisture – 1150 – 2500 mm (1500-2000 mm) – Well distributed, sensitive to water stress – Needs high humidity Wind – Sensitive to wind damage Adaptation of Cacao Understorey plant of tropical rain forest Cauliflorous Flowers Shade – Tolerant of shade – Maximum photosynthesis at 25% full sun – Tolerates high light as well Soil – Well drained, no waterlogging – pH between 5.0 – 7.5 – Good nutrient holding capacity Pollinated by midges 1 Fruit form on leafless stems Cacao Flowers on “Cushion” at former leaf axil positions Harvested Cacao Pods Cacao Pod Each Seed (Bean) is Covered by a White Mucilage a White Mucilage Cacao Seed or Bean 2 Domestication of Theobroma cacao Domestication of Theobroma cacao Criollo Criollo Origin Forastero Amazonia – Eastern slopes of Forastero Forastero – Acid sweet pulp Andes – Acid sweet pulp – Semi domesticated – Amazon-Orinoco Central America basin – Mayans and Aztecs – Dispersal lowlands – North -> Criollo Divine origin – East -> Forastero Currency – Beverage – bitter flavor Domestication Cacao beans – Central America Ground corn Caspicum pepper Domestication of Theobroma cacao Domestication of Theobroma cacao Types of Cacao 15 Asia 1600s 500s itario Forastero (green fruit, purple seed) rini 1 Criollo Tr 7 0 – Developed in Amazon 0 Europeans s s 1600 Africa Taken to Africa to develop industry – Hernan Cortes in 1527 Forastero – Bulk cocoa, 95% of production – Initially not accepted – Sweetened drink Criollo (green to red fruit, white seed) Spanish secret for 100 – Developed in Central America years – Solid chocolate – Fine cocoa, better flavor than Forastero 1825 Trinitario Criollo material – From Trinidad – 1525 planted in – Hybrid type, natural intercrossing Trinidad, Venezula Jamaica, Haiti Windward Islands Breeding of Cacao Cacao Production in the World First was to increase yield FAOSTAT database, 1970-2004 – Strong environmental influence 3500 Disease resistance 3000 – Witches’ broom disease in the Americas 2500 – Ceratostomella wilt 2000 – Black pod (Phytophthora palmivora) 1500 – Swollen root virus in Africa 1000 500 Drought resistance Production (1000s Mt) 0 Flavor 1970 1975 1980 1985 1900 1995 2000 3 World Production of Cacao World Production of Cacao Most grown within 8º of the equator FAOSTAT database, 2000-2004 Region 1,000s mt % Africa 2,338 70% Asia 499 15% Americas 466 14% 70% 16% Oceania 48 1% 14% Total 3,351 World Production of Cacao Cacao Yield in the World Major Producing Countries Region FAOSTAT database, 1970-2004 Africa Ivory Coast (1335), Ghana (480), 5 Nigeria(349) Asia Indonesia (433) 4 Americas Brazil (179), Ecuador(88) 3 Oceania Papua New Guinea (43) 2 (MT/ha) Yield 1 FAOSTAT database, 2000-2004 0 1970 1975 1980 1985 1900 1995 2000 World Yields of Cacao Propagation FAOSTAT database, 2000-2004 Region Mt/ha Seedlings – Most common – Seed orchards Africa 4.9 Ivory Coast (7.5) Vegetative propagation Asia 8.8 – Rooted cuttings Rootability varies Americas 3.1 with cultivar – Budding Oceania 4.3 4 Site Establishment Planting Shade needed for young plants Density – Develop proper tree architecture – Closer spacing -> greater early yields Too little light – Long internodes with few branches – 2.5 m x 2.5m (1600/ha) – West Africa Too much light – 4 m x 4 m (625/ha) – Americas – Short internodes with excessive branching – 5m x 5m (400/ha) – Sri Lanka Establish shade trees before planting cacao – Fast growing leguminous species Planting materials, rainy season – Banana for temporary shade for young cacao – Seed-at-stake, West Africa – Coconut – Transplanting nursery plants – Thinned forest (common in West Africa) Time to first flowering Less to no shade for mature plants – 18 months from transplanting Shade and Yield in Mature Cacao Pruning Develop convenient tree shape – Allow easy entry to tree Height of 1st branching 100 Number of branches 80 – Open canopy 60 Increase light penetration Yield 40 None Decrease humidity % Potential 20 Medium Heavy ding Facilitate pest and disease control 0 Sha High Medium Low – Remove diseased, damaged or dead wood Soil fertility Pollination Harvesting Degree of pollination depends on Time to develop fruit midge population – 4.5 to 7 months after flowering – Increase population of midges Harvest time Banana psuedostems in cacao orchards – Flower set only at > 20ºC Midges breed in these pseudostems – Flower set only at > 20ºC Increase pollination up to 15% – Maximum set in rainy season Hand pollination increases fruit set – No set during dry season – Natural set is ~ 5% Tropical areas – Hand pollination increase 200% to 500% – Flowering from February to July – Harvest from August to January 5 Harvest period of months Remove Seed from Pod to Ferment Harvest at 10-14 day intervals Cut off tree when fully ripe – Maximize flavor – Minimize seed germination – Minimize pest and disease problems Fermentation Dry to Prevent Deterioration Fermentation Most sun – Remove mucilage dried from beans Moisture – Kill embryo content – Develop chocolate – 6-7% flavor Dried – Reduce moisture beans are content bagged Processing of Dried Beans Processing of Dried Beans Most done in developed countries Most done in developed countries Cleaning Grinding (50-70ºC) – Nibs -> paste-like chocolate liquor or bitter Roasting chocolate – Develop chocolate flavor – 55% fat (cocoa butter) – Temperature, 100-150 C Extraction of Cocoa Butter – Press to produce – Time 20-49 minutes Cocoa cake with fat content to 10-20% Kibbling and Winnowing Cocoa butter Cocoa Powder Finishing – Break up the beans – Cocoa cake is ground and sieved – Eliminate testa (shell) with air current – Akalized to stabilze color and increase water – Broken cotyledons = nibs dispersal – Dried and packaged 6 Manufactured Products Cocoa powder – Syrups, ice cream toppings – Cake mixes, cookies, puddings Chocolate – Bitter chocolate = chocolate liquor – Bitter sweet chocolate = 35% chocolate liquor – Sweet chocolate = Sweetners plus 15% chocolate liquor – Milk chocolate = Sweetners plus 12% milk solids and 10% chocolate liquor Any Questions? Fermentation and Roasting Grinding 7.