Changes in Chemical Components of Cocoa Beans during Microwave Roasting

The physicochemical properties of microwave-roasted cocoa beans such as color, degree of browning, pH, titrable acidity, organic acid, and sugar content were determined and compared with those of conventionally-roasted beans. Microwave roasting temperatures were 110, 120, 130, 140 and . Roasting times were 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 min. Conventional roasting was done at and 15 min as a reference. The pH had no relations with roasting temperature or roasting time. As roasting time and roasting temperature were increased, the titrable acidity values of roasted cocoa beans became higher than those of raw bean. But there were no differences among each condition. Color, degree of browning, and sugar content changed as roasting temperature and roasting time increased. The organic acid content of roasted beans increased but the degree of increase was different from organic acid to organic acid. Roasting by microwaves resulted in higher inner temperature of samples than the surface temperature. To increase roasting efficiency, the other heat sources should be used together with microwave.