Introduction

“Various types of cocoa beans are needed to meet the demands of a complex market for chocolate and cocoa-derived products in which food safety, traceability, efficiency and cost effectiveness are key factors alongside consumer demands for taste and quality.”

The European Cocoa Industry needs a sustainable and consistent supply of cocoa beans with the quality attributes to meet our diverse requirements. We are working with our partners in the cocoa supply chain to ensure that cocoa is sourced, and products are manufactured in a responsible manner from an economic, environmental and social point of view. Various types of cocoa beans are needed to meet the demands of a complex market for chocolate and cocoa-derived products in which food safety, traceability, efficiency and cost effectiveness are key factors alongside consumer demands for taste and quality. 

We all need cocoa beans which will allow us to produce products that are safe to eat and comply with European legislation and other international food safety standards. As the source of unique cocoa flavour and nutritional components, the importance of a consistently high standard of quality in cocoa beans cannot be over emphasised. 

Chocolate sells in a very competitive market, where quality and value are paramount. If the quality of the cocoa beans is poor, final products suffer and the industry as a whole loses as consumers turn to other snack foods. 

This second edition of the “Cocoa Beans: Chocolate and Cocoa Industry Requirements” has been revised to reflect the changes in legislation relating to food safety and traceability that have been introduced since the first edition which was published in 2015. 

Moreover, the sections outlining how bean quality can be affected by the practices adopted on farm and at all subsequent stages in the supply chain through to the factory gate have been updated to reflect new knowledge on best practices.

In this way, it is hoped that the guide continues to provide stakeholders across the cocoa value chain with the information on industry needs, food safety requirements and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) as part of the way forward for a more sustainable and equitable cocoa sector. 

This publication “Cocoa Beans: Chocolate and Cocoa Industry Requirements” was first published in 2015, and was based on the UK Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Alliance (BCCCA) publication “Cocoa Beans- Chocolate Manufacturers’ Quality Requirements” which was last revised in 1996 (BCCCA, 1996).

The focus will remain on factors affecting quality of cocoa beans from post-harvest through to the factory gate, but as in the BCCCA publication, aspects such as GAP, environmental factors, including soil conditions, and planting materials will be covered where they also have an impact. 

This edition will also make reference to the new legislation being introduced as part of the European Green Deal to address climate change and environmental degradation, particularly where it impacts on aspects of cocoa production such as reducing pesticide usage and de-forestation-free supply-chains. 

We hope that the information included, and links to suggestions for Further Reading, will be useful to all those in the cocoa sector striving to create more ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliant cocoa value chains that involve implementing sustainable practices across the entire cocoa supply chain, from farming and processing to distribution and consumption.

In Part I of this guide, the industry’s requirements with regard to cocoa bean quality are set out in detail under a number of headings as before but are updated on the basis of new information that has become available. Most of these requirements can be met by sound methods of cultivation and appropriate fermentation and drying practices, although some are governed by factors beyond the control of the grower. 

Part II describes some of the quality standards currently used in producing countries and by the cocoa trade. In Part III the factors influencing the quality requirements are highlighted and recommendations for practices that will promote good quality are provided. 

These recommendations follow those made in several sources including the publications from Codex Alimentarius, the ICCO’s Consultative Board, and industry publications. Cocoa growing, post-harvest practices and quality evaluation methods vary widely, and further information sources are available for detailed guidance suited to particular situations (for example see Schwan & Fleet, (2014) Wood & Lass, (1985) and Umaharan (2018).

However, summary protocols for the small-scale preparation of cocoa samples for evaluation as cocoa mass (cocoa liquor) and chocolates, including methods suitable for fermenting small quantities of cocoa beans, are appended.

Full details of protocols for sampling and processing samples into cocoa mass and chocolate for the purpose of sensory evaluation are available from the Guide for the Assessment of Cacao Quality and Flavour (Cacao of Excellence, 2023) which has been compiled by the Cacao of Excellence programme of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, in collaboration with the members of the Working Group on the development of the International Standards for the Assessment of Cacao Quality and Flavour (ISCQF). 

Readers are advised to check the website www.cacaoofexcellence.org for any updates to this guide including the protocols, glossary of terms and flavour wheel.