|
Post by qkcho on May 7, 2014 13:38:34 GMT -5
Can some one please tell me how to tell if a cacao bean is Criollo, Trinitario or Forastero? Thank you
|
|
|
Post by Ben on May 7, 2014 14:50:42 GMT -5
Hello, I believe that you can only tell the bean type through genetic testing. I don't believe there is any reliable way to determine this by looking at or tasting a fermented and dried bean. Also note that the criollo/trinitario/foratero classification scheme has been replaced with more accurate classifications. See this page (and the various strains' pages) on the c-spot for more info: www.c-spot.com/atlas/chocolate-strains/Also, Maricel Presilla's book, the New Taste of Chocolate is an excellent resource on the different types of cacao. -Ben
|
|
|
Post by kevin on May 8, 2014 12:21:51 GMT -5
BTW, I read somewhere on C-Spot (but I do not know exactly where) that they can now do genetic testing on the bean. Supposedly before the genetic tests were run on the leaves of the cacao tree. Think about it. Once this test becomes economical anyone who makes chocolate will be able to test their beans upon delivery to verify the claims of the cocoa bean traders. The guy on C-Spot said that this in turn might help to promote better care of the genetic pool.
|
|
|
Post by Sebastian on May 8, 2014 19:15:25 GMT -5
that test's been available for years and years. one of the problems you're going to run into is for your average - lets say 50 lbs of chocolate - you're going to have beans from a dozen or so trees. all of them could be - and likely are - of different genetic composition. which result, then, is your answer and that's assuming you've got control over your bean sourcing - which almost no one does. so in actuality, you could have beans representing literally thousands of trees by the time they're all mixed up at all the various handling stages before they get to you.
|
|
|
Post by kevin on May 9, 2014 10:56:04 GMT -5
I just read an article in the Wall Street Journal heralding the bean test as something new. I suppose journalism usually sensationalizes. Who has been using it for years, Sebastien? The good thing about the test is that in a very practical way buyers can now call the bluff of brokers and traders who trade in criollo this and criollo that. Maybe this will encourage some small farmers and fine cocoa brokers to start down the path of varietal plantings instead of all the mumbo jumbo that you describe.
|
|
|
Post by Sebastian on May 9, 2014 21:13:10 GMT -5
Well, the USDA and Mars have been using it for years and years. I'd say it's very unlikely that the average cocoa buyer will utilize this.
|
|
|
Post by kevin on May 10, 2014 11:19:16 GMT -5
The WSJ article said it was an recent innovation of the USDA in Maryland. The average buyer does not care but the artisan buyer would.
|
|
|
Post by Sebastian on May 11, 2014 5:51:04 GMT -5
I think we're talking about two very different types of buyers. There are very few buyers who go direct to the farmer. Almost all buyers go through a series of middlemen, co-ops, associations, or trade (whether they know it or not) - if i had to venture a guess i'd say that group represents 95% of the buyers out there. It's the latter i was referencing. Of no doubt the artisan would have interest; unfort it's my strong suspicion that the artisan would also be the least likely to be able to access such testing, at least at this time. It's expensive, requires complex equipment, and specialized knowledge to read the results. things like SNP chips are lowering the barrier, but it's still a helluva barrier. And because of the above noted logistics associated with the trade, it's quite possible to have thousands of trees of different planting stock represented in a lot of beans, so your genetics in a given lot are going to be all over the place, which is going to make the test results almost useless to use.
Where i'd see the real benefit being is not from the marketing side, but in understanding populations of trees to breed them more intentionally. Like the flavor of these ones but not those ones? Figure out genetically why that is, and breed those traits in. Often times the flavorful trees are the most susceptible to disease - while other trees are remarkably disease resistant - breed that disease resistance in. Sure you can do it with classic mendelian inheritance, but it takes a few decades and you're still not certain of what you have. SNP chips and selective assistance with classical breeding represent a fantastic way to increase quality and throughput without getting folks all up in arms about GMO approaches. Although i suspect that many will not understand the differences and get excited anyway.
|
|
|
Post by feedme on May 19, 2014 3:24:36 GMT -5
Porcelana = Criollos hybrids = trinitario forastero
Some hybrids are closer to criollo and their cocoa beans are much whiter.
Others are closer to the forastero variety and the inside of the beans has a more violet colour.
Generally speaking, it is believed that the forastero and its hybrids are more resistant to disease than the criollo, but this is not always the case.
Some varieties of criollo are more disease-resistant than others and for some of them their yield per hectare is very satisfactory. The pod:
Porcelana cocoa is the purest and the most sought after.
The pod is smooth (see photos) Its colour can be pale green, green or red.
The criollo’s pod is fairly rough. However, on a genetic level they are equal
The different varieties of criollo are: Lobatera Novillero Santa Ana Merideño Guasare which are in fact the names of the places where they have been found. The Harvest
There are about 14 varieties of cacao trees
The porcelana variety is only harvested once a year (April, May, June, July).
Hybrid plants of the trinitario type are harvested twice a year:
the most important: October, November December, January and a smaller one: July, August, September. Colour of the pod
Criollo : light green (when ripe it turns light yellow) Criollo : green(when ripe it turns yellow) Criollo : red (when ripe it turns yellow)
Forastero : idem
The skin of the pod Criollo : has a softer skin Forastero :has a harder skin
Number of lines Porcelana :10, but not very prominent or equal Forastero :10 that are equally divided
Number of seeds Criollo : between 15 and 30, with an average of 25, they weigh more than 1 gr. Forastero :between 35 and 68, with an average of 36, they weigh less than 1 gr
Number of pods Criollo : between 120 and 150/per year/per tree, 30 pods = 1 kg of dried cocoa Forastero :can yield as many as 300/per year/per tree
Cocoa butter Porcelana contains less cocoa butter
Flower Porcelana : the flower is white Criollo :the flower is white with 2 small pink lines Hybrid :the flower has the colour of the pod: white if light, lilac rose if red.
Fermentation Criollo : 2 days Hybrids : 4 to 5 days because they are more bitter and therefore need to be fermented for longer to get rid of the bitterness.
|
|