KARAKTERISTIK FISIKOKIMIA DAN SENSORI BIJI KAKAO FORASTERO ORIGIN SULAWESI SELATAN

Differences in postharvest treatments, such as fermentation, drying, and storage, significantly affect the quality of cocoa beans. This study aimed to compare the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of cocoa beans with different postharvest
treatments from South Sulawesi. The experimental design used was a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with a single factor: postharvest treatment. The analyses included physical tests (bean weight, number of beans per 100 g, and cut test), chemical
tests (moisture content, fat, pH, total sugar, phenol, acetic acid, and lactic acid), and sensory evaluation using the Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) method. The results of the physical analysis showed that fermented cocoa beans had an average weight of 2-2.5 g with 80 beans per 100 g, classified as grade AA with a physical quality of I-B. In contrast, non-fermented beans weighed 1–1.5 g with 109 beans per 100 g, categorized as
grade B with a physical quality of II-B, according to SNI 2323:2010 standards. Chemically, fermentation significantly reduced pH from 6.07 to 5.70, decreased total sugar from 3.21% to 1.29%, and lowered phenol content from 15.13 mg GAE/g extract to 11.24 mg GAE/g extract, while increasing acetic acid and lactic acid levels to 7.23 mg/L and 6.21 mg/L, respectively. Sensory analysis showed that fermented beans achieved a Global Score of 7.28 (good category), while non-fermented beans scored 4.01 (average category). Proper postharvest handling, especially fermentation and drying, plays a crucial role in improving the physicochemical properties and sensory quality of cocoa beans, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of local cocoa in the global market.