INTRODUCTION

Field trip is thesis carried out by students or researchers to study something at first hand . it
describes opportunities for incorporating outside experiences into a particular course this thesis
will be talking about the field trip carried out by NFBT LEVEL 400 Students at the NEO
INDUSTRIES situated at west Cameroon ( kemkem).

BACKGROUND OF THE COMPANY

NEO INDUSTRIES located at kemkem west region is cocoa transforming industry dealing with
the producton of 4 cocoa products (cocoa butter 40% , cake , liquor 60%, and powder)founder
and proprietor of the company (MR EMMANUEL NEOSY) it was created in 2015/2016 and
inogurated in 2019 by chief JOHN NGUTE their processing steps are internationally proven
(follow international standards) and their finishes products are also recognized internationally,
the main objectives of the company is to make sure that majority of the cocoa being produced
in Cameroon should be processed in Cameroon thus leading to maximum profit as the semi
finished products are more expensive as compared to the cocoa beans .
Another aim of the company is to bring developments to local areas that is and also cultural
diversity and it is found in a very desolated area .
Other importance personalities in NEO INDUSTRIES ARE;
THE CHIEF SUPERVISOR ( WAMBA ETIENNE)
THE COLLABORATOR(BULE DIMITRI)
THE COORDINATOR OF HYGIENE and food safety(Arnold chamke)
The chief of utility (Nkongwe joseph )
AS per the building capacity of the neo industry, it is capable of transforming 36000 tons of
cocoa beans per each processing .It is interesting to know that all of its raw materials are gotten
from within Cameroon and only its semi finished products are exported out of cameroon . In
the whole of Cameroon , we have just 3 cocoa transforming industries ( CIC COCOA DOUALA,
SOUTH ATLANTIC COCOA FOUND IN KRIBI AND NEO INDUDTRIES , KEMKEM)
 ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT AT NEO INDUSTRIES

Firstly there is the reception of cocoa beans from several localities bought in bags (eash
sac capacity )of cocoa paid from each kilo 65KG for each sac . we where taken to the sensory
analysis laboratory and next to the microbiology lab wich deals with quality assurance and
safety it 6 parameters

 Yeast and mould testing

 Entero bacterium
 Salmonella levels and moisture content
And next to the salmonella laboratory
Secondly the power houses which has several operators
1. The cooling water machines which deals with the transfer of heat for easy
grinding of the cocoa beans it reduces water from 1-2^c and licol is used to
maintain the liquidity form of water in the machines
2. The fuel and gas operators which deals with the transformation of air
( compressing and removal of steam sending to the manufacturing department
A boiler ( removal of ca and mg ) before putting in the boiler . the boiler is used o make
steam ( capacity of 15000kg of steam per hour ) hot water 55-70^c
Pressure for the factory is b\t5-8bars
A bore hole for the supply of water in any case of water accidents
Maintainance sector
Shelfing magazine ( storage tank for cocoa chalfs)
Storage magazine

Beginning of industrial process

THE cocoa mass is sent to hole after which it has been reselected , sorted manually
It is then passed through a conveyor where is it sent to an aspirator to remove dust
particles , passing through an elevator to control room consisting of a destoning
machine consisting of a vibrator which vibrates the stones and machine leading to
seperation bringing about a clean cocoa beans also the used of an epirol to remove
stones
From there to an infra -red preheated machine for roasting the cocoa beans for easy
pealing , cracking and grinding at temperature of about ( 98^c ) for not more than
15mins the number of times is determined by the moisture content of the cocoa beans
From there to a cracker machine which has a windower , sieve and after cracking the
aspirator conveys the dust and dirt and also fibres to their respective places
Finally to the laboratory of the red zone , here the beans is sent to verify is the required
quality has be achieved ( it has a vibrating sieve also) if there is any mistake the
processor regulates the machine properly .

The white zone

From the red zone the cocoa beans passes through a conveyor mirror mixer where the
beans comes in contact with steam to develop good flavor and texture
From the mixer to tolnado ( which aids to develop aroma it is a critical control point of
the industrial process has temperature conditions of about 11^c and 120^c killing
microorganisms present
Direct cooling is done before grinding and stored in a tank to stor the nips ( capacity of
10tones )
GRINDING is done using a harmer mill after grinding the liquor is obtained which a pump
pumps the liquor into a homoginizer ( 5 different homogising machines uses different
beads to make finer liquor. And it is passed through cooling water the 5 cocoa tanks
having a capacity of 13 tones each and 3 fine grinders
1 grinder has a bead of 25nm
2 grinder has a bead of 9nm
And the 3 grinder has a bead of 3nm
White zoon control room
The next was to the physicochemical laboratory it analyses the sample from the
enguagement to the finished product the infra-red lab determines the free fatty acids
present , at the coarse grinder moisture ,and fat content are measured it should be at
least 99.5% perfect at the end of the final grinder to be send to the press or the
conditioning room
Next was at the food plant design layout room showing all industrial processes on an
already edraw max operation
Torificaton laboratory where the cocoa mass is obtained
Next to a compressor that compresses the liquor into cake butter and powder
Compressor2 to obtain cocoa butter 90-95% of cocoa cake which is sent to th cooling
conveyor
Compressor 3 obtain butter and powder, butter send to another tank which you obtain
a sludge not fully purified ( 3 tanks involved)
Zone of conditioning butter to obtain crystalized butter ( temps are reduced to -29.5^c )
which intends hardens the butter and final products ready for packaging and maketted.
Flow diagram

engagement

conveyor

De stoning

vibrator

preheating

cooling

conveseur

windowing

mixer roasting

cracker

Heating , developing
tonaldo flavor, at temps of 110^c
and 120^c

cooling

grinding Liquor obtained

Cocoa cake, liquor,

Compressor
powder, butter
Activities carried out during field trip in the company
Arrival and welcomed by chief the coordinator of food safety

 Safety precautions against environmental hazard ( removal of all jewelries)

 Next visitation to the sensory analysis lab and microbiology lab
 Visit to the red, white, green, and brown zones of the company
 To the cantin
 And finally presentation of gifts from the students to the host institution , taking
of pictures and departure of students and lecturers.

Evaluations and criticisms of the industrial setup and proposal for improvement

The only difficulties I faced was that of language barrier and a propsed solution
is for the company to hire both English and French speaking personells for easy
communication .