HOME PRODUCTS TULIP COCOA SUSTAINABILITY CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY ABOUT THEOBROMA CONTACT Cocoa mass (also known as cocoa liquor), is the first liquid stage of processing cocoa beans. Good fermented cocoa beans are cleaned, and usually subjected to an intense heat source for a short period of time. This stage is known as “micronising” and its purpose is primarily to loosen the shell from the nib of the bean. Once micronised, beans can be broken up and “winnowed”. During winnowing, the shells are removed by air flow leaving only the cocoa nibs. The cocoa nibs are then roasted which both sterilises the nibs and enhances the flavour. Once roasted the nibs are cooled and are ready for grinding. The action of physical grinding is all that is required to turn the solid nibs into a viscose liquid, by releasing cocoa fat (butter) from the nibs with the remaining cocoa solids held in suspension. Cocoa liquor usually passes through two or three stages of grinding to achieve the required “fineness” i.e. particle size of solid held in suspension. Cocoa liquor is the base ingredient for the manufacture of all chocolate. You are here: Home Products Cocoa Mass Top

HOME PRODUCTS TULIP COCOA SUSTAINABILITY CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY ABOUT THEOBROMA CONTACT Cocoa butter can be obtained either from a whole cocoa bean or from cocoa mass (liquor). In both cases the butter is obtained by pressing under immense (usually hydraulic) pressure for a set period of time. The pressing squeezes out the fat which is then collected as “crude” butter. The butter is then filtered to ensure perfect colour and clarity, and can then be either cooled and blocked, or remain as liquid. Cocoa butter is then usually further processed using a process known as “de-odourisation”. De-odourising removes all traces of smell and flavour from the fat. De-odourised butter is mainly used for the production of chocolate – it is added to cocoa mass (liquor) to increase the fat content to create the traditional texture of chocolate, although cocoa butter does have alternative uses in both pharmaceutical products and cosmetics. When processed in cocoa producing countries the butter is usually “natural” i.e. not de-odourised, and is packed in 25 kg multiply corrugated cardboard cartons, standardised for containerised shipping. In such cases, any further processing is usually carried out in destination countries. Careful shipping is vital to the safe carriage of cocoa butter, as although cocoa butter will not usually melt below 36ºC it will also not re-solidify above around 23ºC You are here: Home Products Cocoa Butter Top

HOME PRODUCTS TULIP COCOA SUSTAINABILITY CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY ABOUT THEOBROMA CONTACT Visiting Address: Oceanenweg 1 1047 BA Amsterdam The Netherlands Phone: +31(0)20-5675911 http://www.theobroma.com Name Email Message Phone Select the flag Send You are here: Home Contact Top