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Agents inducing the death of cacao seeds during fermentation

1965; Wiley; Volume: 16; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/jsfa.2740160804

1097-0010

Victor C. Quesnel,

Botanical Research and Applications

Abstract The relative importance of the three agents heat, ethanol and acetic acid, responsible for the death of cacao seeds during fermentation has been investigated. Two criteria of death have been used, loss of viability and the diffusion of pigment throughout the cotyledon tissue. During the period over which the seeds lost viability, the ethanol concentration of the pulp was relatively high (⋍ 0·60 M) and the acetic acid concentration relatively low (˜0·07 M). Twenty‐four hours later, when the diffusion of pigment throughout the tissue was complete, the concentrations were 0·44 M and 0·17 M respectively. A study was made of the effect of temperature and various concentrations of ethanol and acetic acid on viability and diffusion of pigment in the cotyledon tissue of washed seeds. It is concluded that, in fermenting cacao, temperature is relatively unimportant in causing loss of viability and that, despite the difference in concentration, acetic acid may be rather more important than ethanol. Ethanol and acetic acid act synergistically in causing diffusion of pigment; again, temperature is relatively unimportant.