1.6. Contamination
Cocoa beans must always be handled and treated as a food grade material.
Cocoa beans can absorb off-flavours from other products such as copra, rubber, oil based fuels, chemicals, paints, cement etc, both in stores and in vessels/containers used to transport cocoa. The high fat content of cocoa beans acts as an extremely effective absorbent for all manner of taints.
Cocoa beans must always be handled and treated as a food grade material and, as a general rule, bagging materials and warehouses used to handle and stock cocoa beans should be used exclusively for that purpose (See Part III. 3. c.).
SUMMARY OF CAUSES OF MAJOR OFF-FLAVOURS
Mould
- Prolonged fermentation
- Slow or inadequate drying
- Storage under highly humid conditions
- Germinated beans and damaged beans are prone to becoming mouldy
Excessive acid taste
- Deep box fermentation
- Inappropriate turning
- Too rapid drying
Smoky
- Contamination by smoke during drying due to inappropriate fuel, bad design, faulty operation or poor maintenance of dryer.
- By exposure of dried beans in store to smoke contamination
Excessive bitterness and astringency
- Certain planting materials
- Lack of fermentation
