The Chocolate Tour

Theobroma Cacao
By Chelsea Hayes, Nicole Harris, Margie Girton, Katrina Gery and Amy
Stackhouse

T. cacao grows between 10N and 10S of the

Equator

These are the locations Theo sources their beans

The natural habitat of

T. cacao is the lower
storey of the rainforest

Variation in yield are affected

more by rainfall than by any
other factor.
The trees are very sensitive to
deficiencies in water and
minerals
Heat and humidity are
essential for optimum
development of the tree.

 Shading is indispensable
T. cocoa can grow in soils with a pH range of 5.0 7.5
T. Cocoa is native to the forests of Central
and South America

n the wild, the trees can grow to 20 meters in height

 The tree produces pods

that grow directly off
the trunk
Pods take six months to
ripen
Ripe pods do not fall off
the tree, they must be
harvested by hand
Each pod contains ~ 40
beans surrounded by a
sweet tasting pulp

Cocoa processing begins immediately

after harvest

Theo Chocolate Factory Tour

Everyone wears a hairnet

All of the beans are cut

open and inspected before
they are used

Bags of beans

The destoner cleans the

outside of the beans

The winnower separates the husks from the nibs

The roaster removes humidity and

Develops flavor
Nibs undergo alkalization to
develop flavor and color

The Stone Mill crushes the nibs into paste

The cacao is ground and heated turning it into

Cocoa liquor

The chocolate bars

The chocolate is cooled in a

special cooler

Why Eat Chocolate?

It

is delicious!
Improves vascular function
Lowers blood pressure
Increases insulin sensitivity, reducing the risk of
diabetes
Decreases the risk for CVD, promotes healthy
blood flow, prevents plaque build up
Promotes healthy gut bacteria, resulting in antiinflammatory effect

Why? Flavonoids!

The New Science of Chocolate

References
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