Post-harvest System and Quality of Cocoa Beans in the Southern Region of Cameroon: A Recent Study | Chapter 4 | Emerging Challenges in Agriculture and Food Science Vol. 7

 The variable quality of the country's commercial cocoa production was proven to by the numerous rejections of Cameroonian cocoa on the international market. In an effort to raise the quality of this product, a review of post-harvest procedures was carried out.

Two cocoa production zones, specifically the southern Cameroonian subdivisions of Biwong Bulu and Mvangang, implemented an inquiry form on the methods of post-harvest treatments. Farmers provided the fermented and dried beans, which were then gathered and their physicochemical properties assessed for quality. The findings indicate that the producers, who were on average 90% men and 38.3% of whom were older (> 50 years old) and not linked with a cooperative, were unaware of the standards for commercial cocoa's quality, which led to a lack of respect for the post-harvest method of processing cocoa. Only 41.8% of the farmers followed the sequential order of the various post-harvest treatment unit operations. There were three different drying modes and four different fermenting modes (box, banana leaves, tarpaulin, and plastic bags) (hurdle, tarpaulin and soil). The morphological and physicochemical characteristics of the various samples were strongly changed by the various treatment modalities, which also had an impact on the quality of the cocoa beans. Large cocoa beans are produced by fermenting them in cascading crates (V = 1030 50.90 mm3) and drying them on raised trays (V = 1310 77.36 mm3), which is the material that allowed the cocoa to swiftly reach a moisture content that was in accordance with commercial-quality cocoa (6.82 0.91%). The post-harvest treatment technique was not followed as indicated in Cameroon's southern region. Sensitizing and educating farmers is essential for the development of cocoa production in this region, especially for these two subdivisions. To achieve high-quality cocoa with higher physical, morphological, and physicochemical features (moisture, lipids, and acidity), solar drying on elevated racks may be advised. This will provide commercial chocolate of grades I (superior) and II.

Author(s) Details:

C. Saïdou,
University Institute of Technology, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere Cameroon.

E. Tchemtchoua,
Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 222, Dschang, Cameroon.

A. Mahama,
University Institute of Technology, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere Cameroon.

B. A. Mohammadou,
University Institute of Technology, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere Cameroon.

D. Abolo,
Institute of Agricultural Research and Development, P.O. Box 2123, Nkolbisson Yaoundé, Cameroon.

A. Ali,
University Institute of Technology, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere Cameroon.

N. N. Njintang,
National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, P.O. Box 455, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/ECAFS-V7/article/view/8316