Top Quality Cocoa Beans

Physical and Chemical Properties:

• Moisture Content:
• The moisture content of whole beans should not exceed 7.5% (or 7.0% as per some specifications). 
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Quality Requirements:

• Whole Beans: Cocoa beans should be whole, with minimal broken beans or fragments.
• Uniformity: Beans should be reasonably uniform in size.
• Soundness: They should be sound and free from defects or deterioration that would make them unfit for consumption.
• Pests and Damage: Cocoa beans should be free from pests and damage caused by them.
• Odors and Taints: They must be free from any foreign smell or taste. 
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Grading Standards:

• Cocoa beans are often graded based on the severity and frequency of defects, such as mouldy or slaty beans.
• Different grades (e.g., Grade I, Grade II, Substandard) may have varying acceptable limits for these defects. 
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Bean Count:

Specifications may include a minimum and maximum number of beans per 100g. 

Defects:

Cut tests assess the presence of mouldy, slaty, germinated, flat, and insect-damaged beans. Maximum allowable percentages for these defects vary, but are typically around 3-5% for mouldy and slaty beans. 

Foreign Matter:

Specifications limit the presence of foreign matter, including extraneous materials like shells, fragments, and live insects.