Automatización de un sistema de fermentación de almendras de cacao (theobroma cacao l.) para pequeños productores de El Oro

Abstract

Ecuador is a country that has unique geographical characteristics, which is known as the maximum producer and exporter of fine cocoa and aroma. The production of cocoa is very important for the country because it has managed to boost the development of the economy of Ecuadorians, this product generates income for peasant families allowing them to subsist. Ecuador produces a volume of 260 thousand metric tons of cocoa beans and other derived products, whose agronomic characteristics of flavor and aroma for which Ecuadorian cocoa is known turn out to be unequaled, allowing it to position itself in the first places of the international markets. Currently these attributes are threatened by the poor management of post-harvest processes and fermentation methods. The objective of this experimental work was to determine the efficiency of the automated wood rotor fermentor to improve the sensory quality of cocoa liquor. To start with the field work, we proceeded to harvest healthy and mature cocoa pods CCN 51, obtained from the clonal garden at the Granja Santa Inés of the Technical University of Machala, then the breakage and shelling of the ears of corn was carried out. to the fermentors in clean and dry plastic buckets. The fermentation methods used were: non-mechanized wood rotor (T1), mechanized wood rotor (T2), wooden crate (T3) and pre-dried (T4), the experimental work is carried out under the same environmental conditions. The fermentation took place for a period of 72 hours. The variables analyzed were: Temperature, Grain index, Scale percentage or testa, Percentage of fermentation. And Quality of cocoa liquor. The taking of variables such as temperature and execution of the removal was done every 24 hours. The drying process was carried out in plastic mesh canopies, under plastic cover exposed to natural air, until the humidity of the seeds will reach between 7-8% humidity. When the seeds reached 7% humidity they were stored in plastic bags with the identification of each treatment. Then the cutting test was carried out where the physical properties of the grains were evaluated as grain index, percentage of husk and percentage of fermentation was carried out in the Plant Genetics laboratory of the Agricultural Sciences Academic Unit. The sensory analysis of the cocoa beans was carried out in the quality laboratory of cocoa and coffee, belonging to the Pichilingue experimental station of the INIAP. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program, a parametric test was used, one-way ANOVA was used, graphically the data will be represented by bar graphs. In the obtained results it is established that there is a statistical difference between the treatments. In the physical tests, the T1 and T2 treatments show very similar results, but when compared to the T3 and T4 there is a difference between the grain index, the T3 has the highest grain index and the lowest percentage of the husk, although it is not You can consider the best treatment, this is because its quality was not the best because there was presence of violet, moldy and slate almonds. When the sensory tests were carried out, it was determined that T4 had an advantage over the other treatments, that T1 and T2 showed a small difference when compared to each other, while T3 was the treatment that presented the most problems. T2 has the highest investment cost but, it is justifiable because it shows the highest income and has the advantage of not requiring a wage for its permanent manipulation which lowers its production costs.