The Usage of Dried Starter for Re-Fermentation of Unfermented Cocoa Beans

Abstract

In order to improve the quality of cocoa beans, it has been made by re-fermentation of unfermented beans using dried starter. The methodology used in the fermentation process using a dry starter with the concentration of 1, 2 and 3% towards the quality of cocoa beans produced. The design of experiments was used completely randomized design (RAL) with two replications. Observations during the fermentation of cocoa beans were temperature, pH, alcohol and acid contents, whereas for the quality of dry beans were determined moisture content, ash, protein, fat, free fatty acid (FFA), fermentation index (IF). The flavor was also detected by GCMS. The results showed that during fermentation, the temperature was increased on the first day, then decreasing until day 6. Afterward, the pH tended to increase until day 7. Furthermore, alcohol and acid content (acetic and lactic acids) tends to decrease. The quality of dry beans gave moisture content, ash, protein, fat and FFA ranges from 8.12 to 9.21; 4.07 to 4.16; 21.28 to 22.06; 31.52 to 34.90 and 0.44 to 0.51, respectively. Index fermentation of 2% starter concentration gave the best value. Flavor compounds were detected on the re-fermented cocoa beans, namely the group of compounds pyrazines, ketones, aldehyde, alcohol, acid and pyron groups.