Chocolate out of Cacao Beans:
Can it be possible to make good quality chocolate out of cheap resources?
By: Jackylou Erkens
Description and Rationale
Chocolate Adventure
A problem that lies at the heart of the Philippines is poverty. It is a poor country and many people do not earn enough money to help support their families. Or they can not even afford educating themselves or even having a job. However, if someone could make chocolate to sell, it would help the poor earn some money. That would help the poor because chocolate is a world-wide common candy that many people desire to eat. The Philippines has cacao beans that can be planted and used to make delicious chocolate using the right ingredients.
How is chocolate made? Can chocolate be made at home? Do you have to use a certain cacao bean to make chocolate taste sweet? Does making chocolate require much time? Is it possible to make chocolate that is healthy yet also delicious? Is it possible to make chocolate from cheap resources? Would it be possible that chocolate made by cheap resources could be sold? Could there be a profit by doing this? By making chocolate out of cheap resources and by hand; could it be made in a way that it could enter the trading system?
Research shows that the Philippines have had cacao beans since the 17th Century when the Dutch introduced them. These beans have been in the commercial farms since mid-1980s and have been selling more and more. The AgriBusinessWeek (http://www.agribusinessweek.com/about/) states that most of the cacao trees that are in the Philippines are grown in Mindanao. Also the article quotes, “In the Philippines, there is also a big local demand for cacao beans. The domestic grinders require at least 30,000 tons of dried fermented cacao beans every year.” This gives reason that making chocolate or planting more cacao trees will help the Filipinos to earn some money.
Wayne Schmidt has published her journey of making chocolate out of scratch and it can be found on: http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/howtomakechocolateathome2.htm this website shows that chocolate can be made in a shortened period of time and with easier tools than those that are used in manufacturing companies.
The purpose of this project is to see if it can be possible to make good quality chocolate out of cheap resources. By doing this it can help the poor people of the Philippines. One could teach the Filipinos how to make delicious chocolate out of cheap resources and then they would be able to sell this chocolate. If this is found possible it might improve the livelihood of some people in the Philippines.
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Biology
Common names and synonyms
Cacao is also known as Theobroma cacao, kakaw (in Central America and Mexico), cacahuatl (in Central Mexico) and as cacao tree. An interesting fact that was found on Wikipedia is that the scientific name Theobroma has the meaning of “food of the gods”, whereas cacao itself derives from the Nahuatl (Aztec language). Cacao is also written as cocoa in English.
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Classification
Kingdom: Plantae (plants)
Phylum: Anthophyta (flowering plants)
Class: Dicotyledon (dual seed leaf)
Order: Malvales (name of order of flowering plants)
Family: Malvaceae (mallow family)
Genus: Theobroma (cacao plants)
Species: Theobroma cacao (cacao)
Just like coffee beans, there are different varieties of beans. But there are only three types of cacao beans that dominate the trade market. These three beans are Criollo, Forasteros and Trinitario. Criollo, Forasteros, and Trinitario are the main beans used to make the rich, delicious chocolate. Those beans are the main beans used for chocolate production.
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Morphology and Physical Description
The Yachana Gourmet website states that, “The cacao tree is an evergreen belonging to the order Malvales. They can grow to a height of about 60ft in the wild, but are usually trimmed to 9 to 24 feet so that the pods are easier to reach for the farmers during harvest time. The trees have one main stem that grows up to 1- 2 meters unbranched. After a while 3-5 branches known as jorquettes start to form on the cacao tree. Throughout the year, anywhere between 50,000-100,000 small, white, scentless flowers blossom from the trees. Only a small amount of those flowers will turn into fruit. The fruit is a berry by the name of cherelle when it is young, and when ripe, they are known as pods. The trees will begin to bear fruit when they are 4-5 years old, but they yield the most between the ages of 15-25 years. The pods grow straight out of the trunk and main branches. Each tree may yield between 20-30 pods per year. These pods take about 5-6 months to develop and when they ripen, they turn to a green, red, yellow or purple depending on variety.”
The external color of the cacao beans can range from orange-yellow to purple. They are well rounded and the seed coat loose and intact. Also the shell is hard
The internal surface color should be either dark chocolate brown or cinnamon brown. When the cacao bean is cut, it can be seen that each seed on the inside is surrounded by white mucilaginous (various gummy secretions or gelatinous substances present in plants). Usually a cacao pod has at least 20-60 seeds (which are the beans). Inside these seeds the cacao bean contains about 40-50% of fat as cacao butter.
The fruit called a cacao pod, is ovoid, 15-30 cm long and 8-1 cm wide, ripening yellow to orange, and weighs about 500 g when ripe. The pod contains 20-60 seeds, usually called ‘beans’, embedded in a white pulp. Each seed contains a significant amount of fat (40-50% as cocoa butter). Their most noted active constituent is theobromine, a compound similar to caffeine.
Research shows that there are over 300 chemicals that compose chocolate and affect the human body in different ways. According to research, the amount of chocolate can affect the brain by the releasing of certain neurotransmitters which impact our moods. Happy neurotransmitters such as endorphins help release stress and lessen any pain. Eating chocolate increases the amount of endorphins released in the brain making people happy when they eat it and supporting the fact that chocolate is a comfort food.
Not only are endorphins affected by chocolate but also another neurotransmitter which is called Serotonin. Serotonin is an anti-depressant. Another neurotransmitter is phenylethylamine, this neurotransmitter causes the blood pressure and sugar levels to rise which leads to feelings of excitement and alertness.
Eating chocolate can cause the feeling of well being this is caused by a lipid called anandamide. This lipid causes the production of dopamine which is another neurotransmitter. Dopamine is what causes the feeling of well being and helps create the feelings of elation. Although dopamine is somewhat similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (also known as THC, which is found in marijuana) it is not the same, THC causes a person to get high. It would take twenty-five pounds of chocolate to achieve a similar high to that of marijuana.
Theobromine is another chemical that lies in chocolate, this chemical increases alertness yet also can cause headaches.
Those are the main chemicals that are in chocolate yet there are many more. Caffeine is a controversial issue, there are some scientists that believe there is no caffeine in chocolate yet other scientists disagree (http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro04/web1/kcoveleskie.html#1).
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Getting Food
Only 20% of the world’s cacao productions are grown on large plantations. The other cacao productions are grown on small farms which are often less than two hectares (five acres). Cacao plants can grow on plantations and small farms and also in rainforests! In the cultivation of cacao, the plants are grown from seeds and from cutting. After that they are then transplanted and spaced about 1.5-4.5 meters. Banana, palm, or rubber trees are also planted within the area so as to give shade and protection to the young trees. The floral buds of the trees are removed until they are five years old.
The commercial cacao-bean crop yield can vary from under 100 to over 3,000 kg per hectare; the world average is between 340-450 kg per hectare.
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Reproduction
The flowers are produced in clusters directly on the trunk and older branches; they are small, 1-2 cm in diameter, with pink calyx. While many of the world’s flowers are pollinated by bees or butterflies/moths, cacao flowers are pollinated by tiny flies called midges and sometimes by bats. Pollination usually occurs in the morning and the flowers die in 24 hrs if not pollinated!
This plant is a unique plant because it can reproduce all the time. Cacao plants are evergreens, meaning that they remain green throughout the year.
The life cycle of angiosperms. During reproduction of flowering plants first spores are produced with half the number of chromosomes in their cell nuclei. The male spores lead to the formation of pollen grains in which the sperm cells arise. After fertilization a young embryo with again the same number of chromosomes as the parental plants develops in the ovule
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Environmental Factors
There are many things that effect the growth of cacao beans. Those things are insects, fungi, viruses, rats and pests. All those things make the life of a cacao tree hard. The insects will eat the leaves of the cacao beans and destroy them. Woodpeckers will peck into the cacao beans making them vulnerable to insects, diseases, viruses and bacteria that lie around the air. Rats that carry diseases and viruses can bite into the cacao beans and make them harmful to humans. With humidity in the air, the cacao tree could also have some fungi growing on it which is not helpful to the plant. There are many diseases that can contaminate the cacao beans. (http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Cacao) Over 30 diseases can be received due to fungi, while there are 9 diseases that can be caught due to parasites and 3 viral diseases. (http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/List_of_cacao_diseases)
One of the viruses is called Cacao swollen shoot which can kill the tree within 2-3 years. (http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/22753/Cocoa/Ivory-Coast/swollen-shoot-disease-threatens-ivorian-cocoa-area.html)
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Origin and Distribution
The origin of cacao beans is still unknown and uncertain; there have been a couple debates about where the cacao beans originate from. However, it is suggested that cacao beans were first found in South America by the Mayans. The Aztecs and Mayans used the roasted cacao beans to make a bitter drink called, “xocoatl” which is pronounced chocolat. In the 1500’s Hernando Cortez, a Spanish explorer, found chocolate in South America and brought back home with him to Spain. There the Spanish sweetened the drink with sugar and other ingredients. Then the Spanish made cacao tree plantations in their colonies. It was then discovered by the Dutch, who then took some trees to Indonesia, and parts of Africa. It is assumed that cacao was introduced to the Philippines around 1670. (http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/factsheets2/landsnurs/jan89pr2.html)
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Importance to People
The cacao production is very important to many people around the world. Over 50 million people depend on cacao as a source of livelihood. Many farmers depend on cacao beans to raise money so that they can support their families.
Not only that but chocolate made from cacao beans have calcium and iron. The calcium helps form healthy bones and teeth and for normal blood clotting, while iron helps the formation of haemoglobin in red blood cells. It also has carbohydrates which is the main energy source for the human body. Cacao beans also contain some protein which is essential to the skin, bones, muscles and organ tissues. (http://www.arentwesweet.com/aboutus/choco.html)
According to philstar.com the Philippines is a country in which chocolate industries would really benefit in the commercial business. Why? The Philippines has the two major ingredients; sugar and cacao (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleid=442626).
Cacao used to be a major part of cultivation; statistics show that in 1990 the area of cocoa planted was about 18,377 hectares, which was mostly grown in Davao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Western Visayas, North Mindanao, ARMM, and Caraga. However, only 16 years later (2006) the amount of area in which cacao was grown has decreased to 10,000 hectares. This is a big drop.
About two years ago, in 2007, San Isidro, Davao del Norte, received a fund of 950,000 pesos from National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). This money benefited to 110 workers. Thanks to the NEDA and DTI, the Philippines are increasing their interest to continue growing cacao. Because of this increase in interest, cacao industries really benefit the poor workers by giving them jobs.
These industries give jobs to those who are not educated and who are poor, the industries keep people employed and help them earn money. Without these industries in the Philippines, more people will become unemployed and families will have a harder time to find money and food for their living.
This was found on http://www.agribusinessweek.com/cacao-the-resurrection-crop-for-farmers-in-the-philippines/:
The major challenges for an expansion of the cacao industry as indicated in the Cocoa Roadmap strategy for the Philippines are:
1. Poor market development, fragmented linkages, poor coordination of the market chain, and limited market access for farmers.
2. Lack of cacao market price information and opportunities, and other relevant information.
3. Inadequate technical knowledge and skills of farmers and extension agents
regarding cacao farming systems and practices.
4. Lack of awareness of integrated pest and disease management strategies and methods for cacao.
5. Inadequate and unsustainable control strategy and package against cacao pod borer insects.
6. Inadequate sources and control of improved planting materials. 7. Lack of postharvest facilities, knowledge, and effective smallholder technologies.
8. No existing internationally acceptable cacao bean quality standards in place and enforced.
9. Weak or poorly developed business skills of farmers to manage diversified farming systems.
10. Cacao is not regarded as a high value crop by government agencies and thus, receives little support.
Therefore, though the Philippines have enough people to give jobs to and have the crop and major ingredients, there are factors that must be faced.
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Survivability and Endangered Status
The insects that pollinate Cacao live in the rainforest. They require humid shade with a wide range of species and decaying matter on the ground; the natural habitat of Cacao. The midges have no reason to venture far from home into the sunny, dry neatly kept cultivated groves of Cacao trees. If the population of midges decreases then the amount of cacao beans can decrease as well resulting in less chocolate being made.
Right now there are no specific cacao trees that are endangered however; some cacao trees are in danger. The fact that many forests are being destroyed and brought to ruins will decrease the amount of cacao trees standing. But what worries many people the most is the high demand for cacao. Research shows that the high demand of cacao is far higher than the actual amount of cacao being made. This causes stress to the farmers and makes them plant more cacao tree plantations. Raising the number cacao tree plantation will also raise the number of diseases, sickness, viruses and illness.
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Potential Solutions
Cacao beans grow in many areas such as, South America, Africa and in parts of Asia. As research shows cacao beans can be found in the Philippines, Davao is an area known for its high quality cacao beans.
Possibility 1 -
Planting Cacao Trees
During my research, I came across an article on the internet that stated that the Philippines only have a few cacao plantations. It also stated that the Philippines is a perfect country in which plantations could be grown in, this is because the Philippines has both sugar and cacao which are the major ingredients to making chocolate.
So a possibility to help the Philippines’ cacao production would be to plant more cacao trees and grow cacao.
Advantages:
1. This would help the Philippine cacao production in a small way.
2. Also the plants would decrease the pollution in the long run.
3. And I could have cacao pods growing right outside my yard.
Disadvantages:
1. It would take a long time for the plants to grow and reach to the stage of production.
2. This step would require a lot of land which I currently do not have.
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Possibility 2 -
Talking to people about cacao and educating them
Many people are not well educated about cacao beans and the plantations. There are few that know from what fruit chocolate comes from. So, maybe I could go out and talk to the Filipinos and educate them on cacao beans.
Advantages:
1. The people would get educated on cacao and would know more about cacao
Disadvantages:
1. I am not a good speaker.
2. I would have to find people that I could talk to and it would have to be people that relate to cacao beans. Or else the time would be wasted.
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Possibility 3 -
Making Chocolate out of Cacao beans (Action Step)
Research shows that chocolate is a very productive item that is sold for over thousands of pesos. Chocolate is made from cacao beans. Many chocolate factories earn a lot of money because their chocolate is rich and delicious. Possibility 3 would be to attempt to make chocolate that is worth selling. And then I would share this with the Pilipino people. Also I could show them how I made the chocolate and teach them so that they can make their own chocolate that they could possibly sell one day.
Advantages:
1. This could help the Pilipino people
2. Not only could it help them but it is also a fun project or thing to do with a group of people.
3. Also there is a tasting process, you have to taste if the chocolate is good and that is a fun part about making food!
4. You could profit from it if it becomes good chocolate that is worth selling
Disadvantages:
1. Research shows that cacao beans are expensive if they have been imported.
2. Also the equipment that is used for making chocolate is expensive and hard to get. (tempering machine and grinding machine) And I do not have that equipment.
3. With the cacao beans being expensive, so are the other ingredients which chocolate is made of.(For example: Coconut oil, )
Results:
I bought 1 kilo of cacao beans, the cost of those beans was 150 pesos. I then decided to only use a ½ kilo of cacao beans for the first round just in case the first attempt would fail. I then had help from 4 other people; together we roasted the beans, peeled them, grinded them and made chocolate. However, to my disappointment, the chocolate did not freeze into a bar, so it ended up being more like fudge. Also there is a chemical in chocolate that will causes the blood pressure and sugar levels to rise which leads to feelings of excitement and alertness, and there is also another chemical which is an anti-depressant.
With the help of Shannaya Ramilo, Aiza Triste, Johanna Erkens, Ate Necy and her daughter in-law, we all roasted the beans, peeled them, grinded them and then mixed the ingredients.
While working on this project we enjoyed listening to music and talking to each other at the same time. All of us were having fun while working. This project lasted over 3 hours; this time does not include the time that it took to freeze the chocolate as much as possible.
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Bibliography
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<http://www.agribusinessweek.com/cacao-the-resurrection-crop-for-farmers-in-the-philippines/>.
"Cacao: Rediscovering its Economic Potentials - Other Crops |." Agriculture Business Week. 02 Apr. 2009
<http://www.agribusinessweek.com/cacao-rediscovering-its-economic-potentials>.
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