Ninth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

Cocoa bean is an economically important seed. Roasted cocoa bean is the sole source of chocolate. According to the International Chocolate Awards (ICA) 2018, Taiwan chocolate was awarded 9 gold, 30 silver, and 29 bronze medals ranking as the top in Asia. Besides this, Thailand chocolate was awarded 1 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze medals. The objective of this research was to analyze the quality of roasted cocoa bean domestically produced in both Taiwan and Thailand including moisture content, pH, acidity, and color. The results concluded that the roasted cocoa bean from Taiwan and Thailand was graded under the International Cocoa Standards according to the ISO 2451, the specification and quality requirements of cocoa bean. In comparison of the physical properties of cocoa bean between Taiwan and Thailand, the moisture contents were 2.2% and 3.2%, the pH were 4.68 and 5.03, the acidity of acetic acid were 1.91% and 1.32%, and the acidity of lactic acid were 2.86% and 1.97%, respectively. The color measurement in CIE Lab* system of cocoa bean from Taiwan and Thailand were 32.54 and 30.87 of L, 17.89, and 21.60 of a, and 10.24 and 14.58 of b, respectively. In summary, Thailand roasted cocoa bean was potentially processed as high quality as Taiwan for better quality of Thailand chocolate products.