How does fermentation affect the separation of cocoa shells and nibs
Fermentation significantly influences the separation of cocoa shells and nibs. During fermentation, enzymatic activities break down mucilage, facilitating the loosening of shells from nibs. This process enhances flavor development and prepares the beans for subsequent roasting, which further aids in shell detachment by making them brittle[1][3]. After fermentation, the beans are dried and roasted, which promotes the physical separation of shells through cracking and winnowing, capitalizing on their differing densities[2][4]. Overall, fermentation improves both the sensory qualities and the efficiency of shell-nib separation.
Citations:
[1] Food Comprising Alkalized Cocoa Shells And Method Therefor https://patents.google.com/patent/US20110151098A1/en
[2] what use it is given to the shell of the cocoa beans https://archive.thechocolatelife.com/community/forums/tech-help-tips-tricks-techniques/15027/what-use-it-is-given-to-the-shell-of-the-cocoa-beans
[3] Effect of Fermentation, Drying and Roasting on Biogenic Amines and ... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7231058/
[4] Food Targeting: Determination of the Cocoa Shell Content (Theobroma cacao L.) in Cocoa Products by LC-QqQ-MS/MS https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7143241/
[5] Breaking & Winnowing | Royal Duyvis Wiener B.V. https://duyviswiener.com/industries/cocoa/breaking-winnowing/
[6] Effect of the solid state fermentation of cocoa shell on the secondary ... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6049759/
[7] Cocoa Bean Shell: A By-Product with High Potential for Nutritional and Biotechnological Applications https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10215647/
[8] Processing Cocoa - International Cocoa Organization https://www.icco.org/processing-cocoa/