Part of the industry process of making chocolate in a chocolate factory is fermenting. Fermenting is a process brought about by yeast acting on sugar to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. There are different types of fermenting such as top fermenting, bottom fermenting, barrel fermenting etc. The science of fermentation is called zymology. Fermentation is an important industrial process in the manufacture of many foods like cheese, beer, curd, chocolates. Dramatic changes take place to the food during fermentation.

An example is transformation of cacao fruit to chocolate. Fermentation is necessary part of the process.

Only ripe cacao fruit is taken to prepare chocolate and it requires experience to recognize ripe fruit. Ripe pods are found throughout the year. The tropical region with its continuous rainfall is a very suitable climate. Anywhere in the between 20 to 50 cream-colored beans are scooped from a typical pod . The husk and inner membrane are discarded. Dried beans from an average pod weigh less than two ounces, and around 400 beans are required to make one pound of chocolate. They definitely don’t look anything like chocolate.

The cocoa beans or seeds are removed from the pods. They are then put into boxes or thrown on heaps and covered. Around the beans is a layer of pulp which starts to heat up and in the process starts to ferment. The process of fermentation lasts from three to nine days and serves to remove the raw bitter taste of cocoa. This develops precursors and components that are characteristic of chocolate flavor. The process of fermentation generates temperatures as high as 125 degrees Fahrenheit. This kills the germs in the beans. It also activates existing enzymes in the beans to form compounds that produce the chocolate flavor when the beans are roasted. The result is a fully developed bean with a rich brown color. This is a sign that the cocoa is now ready for drying which is the next step in the production of chocolate.


tags: chocolate, chocolate factory, fermenting, cocoa

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Have you wondered how gourmet chocolate is made? The chocolate tempering process is a series of many steps to transfrom cacao beans to chocolate. Industrial chocolate processing is a well developed process. The process includes several complex operations for the development of flavor and texture. Chocolate is first mixed and ground so as to give a mixture of correctly sized particles. Next is the process of conching which involves the mixing and shear of the chocolate under controlled conditions. This results in the removal of volatile components, adjustments in moisture content and viscosity. The chocolate at this stage has the correct flavor profile. The next step is a further complex step, of tempering, in which the chocolate is heated and sheared prior to its final solidification.
Different types of chocolate are made in different ways but the tempering process is common to all manufacturing methods. The aim of tempering is to generate sufficient seed crystals. These can act as hooks on which the fats can crystallize. In practice, tempering involves 4 steps.
1. The chocolate is completely melted at a temperature of 50°C, which removes most or all of the crystalline material
2. cooling to the point of crystallization
3. maintaining and holding the temperature for crystallization for about a minute
4. reheating to melt out unstable crystals.
During this process, temperature control is very critical, and the shear applied within the process is also a crucial parameter. The tempering time varies with recipes, equipment, and the purpose of the final product. In a factory, this is done in a variety of different ways. An automatic tempering machine usually consists of multistage heat exchangers through which the chocolate passes. The correctly tempered chocolate is then subjected to cooling.

Below is a the level of tempering based on crystallization, and temperature

tags: chocolate, chocolate tempering, crystalization, gourmet chocolate

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How to make chocolate from the beginning? First you need to consider the land and soil to grow cacao trees. On the surface, you would thnk that something that produces the delicious chocolate would be found all over the world and would be easy to cultivate. But, the fact of the matter is that cocoa and its cultivation is not an easy matter. It needs the right kind of soil, climate etc. for it to be cultivated in abundance. The cacao tree is a native of South America. Cacao can be grown only in tropical climates. It has to be shielded from wind and drought. The rainfall can be high or low but it has to be distributed uniformly.

Experts agree that soils rich in potash and lime (e.g., those obtained by the decomposition of certain volcanic rocks) are good for cacao. An open sandy or loamy alluvial soil is considered to be ideal for the growth of cacao. The physical condition of the soil is equally important. For instance, heavy clays or water-logged soils are bad. The depth of soil required depends on the nature of the soil. A stiff soil discourages the growth of the tap root, which in good porous soil is generally seven or eight feet long. The soil, which is continually washed down by the rains into the rivers, is continually renewed by decomposition of the bed rock. In the tropics this decomposition is more rapid than in temperate climates. Manure is useful to get a bountiful crop. Mulching is also a recommended option to increase the nutritional value of the soil.


tags: chocolate, cacao tree, grow cacao tree, cacao land and soil, cacao tree cultivation

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