Challenges and Future Directions in Cacao Bean Hulling and Grinding Process Technology: A Review

Abstract

Cacao bean processing involves intricate stages of hulling and grinding to produce cocoa liquor, a fundamental ingredient in chocolate production. This review evaluates current technologies for cacao bean hulling and grinding, assessing their performance in terms of hulling efficiency, purity, and recovery index. Challenges identified include variability in performance metrics and the need for improvements to meet industry standards for purity and recovery index. Future directions focus on optimizing equipment through physical and mechanical properties, simulation using DEM, and automation and integrating hulling and grinding processes for efficiency gains and adopting automation to enhance precision and consistency. These advancements aim to advance cacao processing methods towards sustainability, higher quality standards, and increased production efficiency.