Changes in chemical quality of cocoa butter during roasting of pulp pre-conditioned and fermented cocoa (Theobroma cacao) beans

Investigations were conducted to ascertain changes in chemical quality of cocoa butter during roasting of pulp pre-conditioned and fermented cocoa beans. A 4×4 full factorial design was used with pod storage (0, 3, 7, 10 days) and roasting time (0, 15, 30 and 45 minutes) as the principal factors. Samples were evaluated for free fatty acids (FFA), saponification value, iodine value, peroxide value and extinction value using standard analytical methods. Pod storage as a means of pulp pre-conditioning caused increases in the FFA, peroxide value, iodine value and extinction value of the cocoa butter. Similarly, increasing roasting time led to consistent increases in the peroxide value and extinction value of the cocoa butter but had only marginal and insignificant effect on the FFA, iodine value and saponification value. The varied increases in the chemical quality characteristics of the cocoa butter as a result of 10 days pod storage and roasting time did not have any remarkable negative effect on the chemical quality of the resultant cocoa butter. However, the observed changes were more dependent of pod storage than or roasting time.