On Wed, Apr 6, 2011 at 9:46 AM, Jim Lucas
<cacaufarmer@yahoo.com> wrote:
Benoit,
The "pulp" you are referencing is an integral part of the cacau fruit (pod). The seeds (cacau beans) are surrounded by this viscous material. When the fruit is ripened, the "pulp" is at it's highest sugar content and very flavorful. In order to capture the "pulp", one needs to be present when the fruit (pods) are opened and the seeds (cacau beans) removed. Typically "pulp" is collected by placing the newly harvested beans in a centrifugal separator which quickly removes liquids from the bean mass. The collected liquids are sieved to remove large solids and stored in 100-250 ml packets which are frozen and stored.
There are many points of distribution in the cacau regions of
Brazil and if you would like to follow the trail, I will be happy to send references. Bear in mind the "pulp" must remain frozen until it is consumed and shipping could get complicated and pricey.
In our farms, the pulp or mel (honey) is extracted during normal harvests and consumed within hours of collection. Families living in the farms typically maintain refrigerated stocks for daily use and find it much less costly and more healthy than cola drinks. We do not process with a centrifuge because of the requirement for a sugar rich environment to initiate fermentation. During fermentation cycles, the pulp drains from the fermentation boxes under gravity forces and normally is complete after 48-72 hours. Once drained, it becomes waste and is processed as such,
Best regards
Jim Lucas