ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
Colombia is known for its production of fine and aromatic cocoa; however, the lack of homogeneity in the ripeness stage of cocoa fruit affects the final quality of cocoa beans. Therefore, the aim of this work was to identify parameters that can be use as indicators of ripeness in cocoa fruit in order to homogenize the characteristics of raw cocoa used in the production of cocoa?products industry. The parameters evaluated were fruit, seed and pod weight, firmness, color, polar and equatorial diameters of the fruit, seed moisture content, total titratable acidity, pH and total soluble solids of pulp.
RESULTS
factors such as seed weight, firmness, diameters, total soluble solids, pH, and acidity were affected by the clone factor, while seed weight, pH and total titratable acidity are affected by ripeness stage.
CONCLUSION
Identification of indicators of ripeness for cocoa fruit result a complex taks due to the influence of the clone on the evolution of the physicochemical characteristics of cocoa fruit during its maturation process. Thus, indicators must be developped for each clone and at least two parameters among color, pH and total titratable acidity should be used to determine the ripeness stage of cocoa fruit.
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