Appendix A

FCC Definitions &
Specification of Quality Requirements & Standards as Used in Trade Contracts

FCC Definitions

Various standards have been developed to ensure that cocoa consignments can be assessed and classified using an agreed terminology and set of methods. Progress continues to be made in clarifying and harmonising these standards. The Federation of Cocoa Commerce (FCC) has updated its Quality Rules in order to take account of changes in the 2014 revision of ISO 2451, harmonise with the standards used by Conseil Café-Cacao and clarify some of the terminology used. The information on definitions and methods presented below has been extracted from the FCC Quality Rules (Applicable to contracts concluded on or after 01 June 2015) [1].
 

Adulteration 

Means alteration of the composition of a parcel of cocoa beans by any means whatsoever. 

Bean Cluster 

Means two or more beans joined together which cannot easily be separated by using the finger and thumb of both hands. 

Bean Count 

Means the total number of whole beans per 100g derived from a test sample (a method is provided - see below for further information). 

Bean Size Standards: 

1. standard beans - means bean count £ 100
2. medium beans - means bean count 101-110 
3. small beans - means bean count 111-120 
4. very small beans - means bean count > 120 

Broken Bean 

Means a cocoa bean of which a fragment is missing, the remaining part being more than half of a whole bean. 

Cocoa Bean 

Means a raw cocoa bean, which is the whole seed of the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao L.) 

Cocoa Related Matter 

Means bean clusters, broken beans and associated fragments and pieces of shell which do not pass through the sieve. 

Contamination 

Means the presence of a smoky, hammy or other smell not typical to cocoa, or a substance not natural to cocoa which is revealed during the Cut Test or physical inspection of an Arbitration Sample. 

Cut Test 

Means the procedure by which the cotyledons of cocoa beans are exposed for the purpose of determining the incidence of defective and/or slaty cocoa beans, and/or violet or purple beans and/or the presence of contamination within an Arbitration Sample [a method is provided - see below for further information]. 

Defective Bean 

Means an internally mouldy or insect-damaged bean. 

Fair Average Quality 

Means the quality specification for that season applicable to the cocoa origin referred to in the contract when the terms Good Fermented and Fair Fermented are not customarily applicable to that origin.

Fair Fermented 

Means cocoa beans that are not more than 10% slaty and 10% defective by count. 

Flat Bean 

Means a cocoa bean which is too thin to be cut to give a complete surface of the cotyledons. 

Foreign Matter 

Means any substance other than Cocoa Beans, Cocoa Related Matter, Flat Beans and Sievings (Husk and placenta are to be considered as Foreign Matter).

Fragment 

Means a piece of cocoa bean equal to or less than half a bean. 

Germinated Bean 

Means a cocoa bean, the seed germ of which has pierced the shell as evidenced either by the physical presence of the seed germ or by a hole in the shell following its detachment. 

Good Fermented 

Means cocoa beans that are not more than 5% slaty and 5% defective by count. 

Insect Damaged / Infested Bean 

Means a cocoa bean the internal parts of which are found to contain insects or mites at any stage of development, or to show signs of damage caused thereby, which are visible to the naked eye. 

Main Crop 

Means a cocoa parcel with a bean count consistent with that of beans normally produced during the main harvest period of that particular origin. 

Mouldy Bean 

Means a cocoa bean on the internal parts of which mould is visible to the naked eye. (Mould is not to be confused with WHITE SPOT which is a concentration of theobromine or cocoa fat). 

Sieve 

Means a screen with round holes the diameter of which shall be 5.0mm min./max. 

Sievings 

Means the matter which passes through the Sieve. 

Slaty Bean 

Means a cocoa bean which shows a slaty colour on at least half of the surface of the cotyledons exposed by the Cut Test irrespective of texture. 

Violet or Purple Bean 

Means a cocoa bean which shows a violet or purple colour on at least half of the surface of the cotyledons exposed by the cut test.
 

Specification of Quality Requirements & Standards

Bean Count Allowances 

For Main Crop, the following shall apply: 

1. If the bean count is 100 or less, then the parcel shall not be subject to an allowance; 
2. If the bean count is between 101 and 120 inclusive, the parcel shall be subject to an allowance; 
3. If the bean count exceeds 120, then the parcel shall be replaceable or subject to an allowance. 

Cocoa Related Matter 

If the combined weight of the Cocoa Related Matter exceeds 3.5% of the weight of the whole arbitration sample the arbitrators may award an allowance. 

Flat Beans

If the weight of the Flat Beans exceeds 1.5% of the weight of the whole arbitration sample the arbitrators may award an allowance. 

3.5 Foreign Matter 

If the weight of the Foreign Matter exceeds 0.75% of the weight of the whole arbitration sample the arbitrators may award an allowance. 

Sievings Standards 

If the weight of the Sievings exceeds 1.5% of the weight of the whole arbitration sample the arbitrators may award an allowance.

Bean Count

Another commonly used quality test is the bean count which determines the average number of whole cocoa beans that weigh 100 g. The recently revised ISO 2451 cocoa bean – specification standard (ISO, 2014) ie provides methods to assess the bean count of a test sub-sample of at least 600 g that has been prepared according ISO 2292 cocoa bean – sampling (ISO, 1973) and sieved through a screen with 5 mm diameter round holes. Any residue, foreign matter, flat beans and bean clusters are then removed and weighed, and an equivalent mass of whole beans taken from the whole sample is added. Here “residue” refers to any cocoa element other than whole cocoa beans, flat beans, and clusters which does not pass through the sieve (broken beans, fragments and pieces of shell) with the exception of husk or placenta which is considered as “foreign matter”. The total number of beans is then counted and the result expressed using the formula:

Bean Count = Number of whole beans x 100 / Mass of whole beans (g)

The Cut Test

The cut-test is the most common form of quality test used for cocoa beans. It is based on a visual observation of the cut surfaces of a sample of beans and an assessment of the numbers of defective beans. It is quick and easy to carry out, requiring little equipment or training, and can be used to infer some quality characteristics. It is important to note that these inferred quality characteristics can only provide an indication of the quality of the sample, with further checks needed to measure the characteristics more directly. Dand (Dand, 2010) provides further details of the procedure, the definition of the faults and the variations between the methods stated by the ISO 2451-2017 and that used by the FDA (FDA, 1968).

In summary the cut test method given in ISO 2451:2017 states that a sample should be taken, following the ISO standard 2292-2017 for sampling and 300 beans shall be opened or cut lengthwise through the middle, so as to expose the maximum cut surface of cotyledons. Both halves of each bean shall be visually examined in full daylight or equivalent artificial light. Each defective type of bean shall be counted separately, and the result for each kind of defect shall be expressed as a percentage of the 300 beans examined. ISO defines nine categories of bean defects, including those which may infer poor fermentation (slaty and violet/purple beans) or be indicators of high FFA levels, poor flavour and/or other contaminants (bean clusters, broken beans, smoky beans, mouldy beans, germinated beans, flat beans, insect-damaged/infested beans). However, only five of these are used in the grade standards (ISO 2451:2017 for cocoa bean specification), namely mouldy, slaty, insect-damaged, germinated and flat (with these last three grouped together).

The FDA method involves the examination of samples of 100 beans which have been broken to expose their internal surfaces. Only three categories of fault are recognised; mouldy, infested, or both infested and mouldy

The FCC has developed definitions for defective beans (insect and/or mouldy), slaty beans and germinated beans though the latter category is not used in standard contracts. Both ICE Futures Europe and CME Europe futures contracts adopt the same categories for mould and/or insect damage and slaty beans identified by the cut-test.