shady floor of the tropical forest. The other
20% are defensive cells meant to deter the
many forest animals and microbes from
feasting on the seed and its nutrients. These
cells are visible in the cotyledons as purplish
dots, and contain astringent phenolic
compounds, their chemical relatives the
anthocyanin pigments, and two bitter
alkaloids, theobromine and caffeine. The
beans are moist, around 65% water. The
composition of the dried fermented beans is
shown in the box on p. 698.
Fermentation and Drying The first
important step in the development of
chocolate flavor is the least controlled and
predictable. Fermentation takes place where
cacao is grown, on thousands of small farms
and larger plantations, and may be done
carefully or casually or not at all, depending
on the resources and skill of the farmer. The
quality of cacao beans thus varies