1Laboratory of Applied Energy and Thermics-Department of Electrical, Energy and Automatic Engineering-National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences of University of Ngaoundéré-Cameroun
2Department of Power Engineering, University Institute of Technologie of University of Ngaoundéré-Cameroun
American Journal of Food Science and Technology.
2023,
Vol. 11 No. 1, 22-27
DOI: 10.12691/ajfst-11-1-4
Copyright © 2023 Science and Education PublishingCite this paper: Gnepie Nicolas, Matuam Balbine, Tetang Abraham, Edoun Marcel, Kuitche Alexis. Setting up a Process for Drying Cocoa Beans.
American Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2023; 11(1):22-27. doi: 10.12691/ajfst-11-1-4.
Correspondence to: Kuitche Alexis, Laboratory of Applied Energy and Thermics-Department of Electrical, Energy and Automatic Engineering-National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences of University of Ngaoundéré-Cameroun. Email:
gnepienicolas@gmail.comAbstract
In Cameroon, despite the use of various drying devices (natural solar drying, improved solar drying and artificial drying), cocoa is mostly sold as grade II or lower. This lack of sales is mainly due to the poor water content of dried cocoa beans (TE<8%) and their high acidity (pH<5.5). The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of these drying devices on moisture content and acidity; to increase the knowledge in the field of cocoa bean drying; and to identify a drying process that would result in good quality dried cocoa beans. To carry out this work, the drying kinetics of cocoa beans in five (05) drying devices were observed during an experimental study. The results showed that the drying process has an influence on the water content and acidity of the dried cocoa beans and that the drying process that gives a good triplet, drying time/water content/pH, is the mixed solar-improved/Artificial drying at 50°C.
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