Comparison of Material Handling and Process Preparation Methods for Cocoa Pod Husk Powder

Abstract

Cocoa produces a huge by-product during its processing, such as cocoa pod husk (CPH). It requires a proper material handling method to process cocoa pod husk due to its perishability, so it can be used as a food ingredient. This research purpose is to get the best way to produce high-quality cocoa pod husk flour. The CPH raw material was obtained from a local cocoa farmer in Kalibawang, Kulonprogo. Fresh CPH was transported from the field using two treatments: an ice-cool box and a dark bag (polypropylene), afterward it was stored in the ambient room (25±2℃), showcase (5±1℃), and freezer (-5±1℃), then visually observed the appearance during the storage for its quality parameter. Subsequently, the pretreatment to produce CPH powder was boiling and steaming. CPH without pretreatment was used as a control. CPH was dried until the moisture content reached 8-10 %wb. Dried CPH was ground and sieved to obtain a CPH less than 177 µ CPH powder. The evaluation of CPH powder consists of proximate (protein, moisture, lipid, ash, and fiber), color (L, a, b), browning index, and whiteness index. Cocoa pods transported in a cold box equipped with ice gel resulted in a fresher endocarp. Meanwhile, the CPH transported in a dark bag resulted in browning in the endocarp. Moreover, CPH stored in the freezer resulted in a minimum of physical and mold deterioration. The yield of CPH powder obtained was around 7.3-9.2%. The boiling process produces the best results on CPH powder characteristics, shown by the lowest ash level highest crude fiber content, and highest lightness (L) value. However, CPH powder produced with the different treatments has no significant effect (p<0.05)on BI and WI.