Effects of alternative hermetic bag storage on fermented and dried cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao L.)

Cocoa beans, derived from the Cacao Tree (Theobroma cacao L.), are a cash crop among smallholder farmers in tropical regions. After harvest and processing, maintaining cocoa bean quality is critical to access lucrative markets. This paper examines the impact of hermetic storage on insect damage, mold, moisture content, and water activity of fermented and dried cocoa beans under farm conditions in collaboration with a farmer association of Belén de Umbría in Colombia. Three types of hermetic storage systems were assessed for a period of 12 months: Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags, including both 2- and 3-layer variants, and Ecotact® hermetic storage bags, and plus traditional (jute) bags as a control. Regression analysis reveals varying effects across storage durations and treatments. Insect damage was significantly lower in hermetic bags compared to jute bags, with the trend increasing over storage period. Moisture content increased over time with hermetic bags maintaining more desirable levels compared to jute bags. While water activity increased with storage duration, there were minor differences between treatments. Mold presence varies, with jute bags showing lower presence initially, but no significant difference after three months of storage. Overall, results indicate that cocoa beans stored in regular PICS bags (3-layer, PICS3) exhibit superior quality than those stored in the other hermetic (PICS2 and Ecotact®) and jute bags. PICS (3-layer, PICS3) bag can be used to effectively maintain cocoa beans quality while building stocks for sale or processing. This information is valuable for smallholder farmers and cocoa value chain actors seeking to store cocoa beans for extended periods.