Food and Agricultural Product Testing Services > Cocoa Testing and Inspection

Cocoa Inspection and Testing

Cocoa inspection, certification services. Cocoa quality, ingredient testing

Intertek Caleb Brett supports the global Cocoa industry with inspection, certification and ingredient laboratory testing. Intertek helps ensure buyers and consumers receive the correct quantity and quality of cocoa. Trained chemists test cocoa using modern analytical laboratories to international standards, with expertise in cocoa chemistry.

• Contact for information
• Global Food & Agri Services
• Global Laboratory Capabilities

Cocoa Inspection, Certification and Laboratories:

• Singapore
• Thailand
• Malaysia
• Indonesia
• Africa
• Brazil Brasil
• South America
• Central America
• India
• USA Americas

Cocoa Bean Cargo Inventory Inspection:

Cocoa Laboratory Analysis:

Trained and professional field staff are located in key cocoa producing and processing regions of the world. Cocoa inspection services include:

• Loading and discharge inspection.
• Cocoa weight and quantity verification.
• Inspection of loading, discharge
  and storage facilities.
• Representative sampling for lab tests.
• Certification of quantity and quality
• Truck inspection.
• Cocoa warehouse and stock monitoring.
• Food Aid Program Monitoring.
• GMO testing, certification, auditing.      

Cocoa inspection verification includes:

1. Prior to cocoa cargo loading and stuffing:

• Determination of the condition of the cocoa and cocoa packaging.
• Determination of individual cocoa package weight by random basis.
• Ensure cocoa storage containers are clean and dry, ready and fit for intended cocoa cargo.

2. During cocoa bag loading and stuffing:

• Inspectors count and tally each cocoa cargo bag loaded and check condition.
• After completion of cocoa bag stuffing, storage doors are closed, fumigation by third parties is  conducted, witnessed by Intertek Caleb Brett cocoa inspectors.

International Cocoa Standards require cocoa beans of merchantable quality to be fermented, dry, free from smoky beans, free from abnormal odors and free from any evidence of adulteration. The cargo must be reasonably free from living insects, broken beans, fragments and pieces of shell and foreign matter and reasonably uniform in size. Cocoa cargo is graded on the basis of the count of defective beans in the cut test.

Defective beans should not exceed the following limits:
Grade I Cocoa Beans:
Mouldy beans, maximum 3% by count;
Slaty beans, maximum 3% by count;
Insect-damaged, germinated or flat beans, total maximum 3% by count.
Grade II Cocoa Beans:
Mouldy beans, maximum 4% by count;
Slaty beans, maximum 8% by count;
Insect-damaged, germinated or flat beans, total maximum 6% by count.

• Physical assessment of cocoa.
• Chemical assessment of cocoa.
• Moisture content.
• pH of cocoa beans.
• Fat content of beans and nibs.
• Entomological assessment of cocoa.
• Essential oils testing.
• Aflatoxin testing.
• Microbiological analysis.
• Pesticide residue testing.
• Related testing.
• FDA compliant analysis.
• Nutritional label testing.

The laboratories tests for cocoa butter content and fatty acids in cocoa butter. These fats consist of triglycerides including Oleic acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid.

Cocoa contains nearly 800 compounds, including anti-oxidant phenolics, flavonoids, theobromine alkaloid, n-oleoylethanol amine, n-linoleoyl-ethanol amine, flavanols, catechins, catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, leucocyanidins, polymeric lecocyanidins, anthocyanins, L-arabinosidyl cyanidin, ß-D-galactosidyl cyanidin, methyl substituted xanthine alkaloid. The labs test both volatile and non-volatile compounds, which directly effect a cocoa's flavour, taste, colour, aroma and smell.

 
Cocoa Testing in Processed Foods:

Intertek laboratories test food products that include cocoa in their ingredients. Testing is used to determine ingredients, trace compounds and nutritional value for product development, research and for the Nutritional Value Label of packaged food products for sale to the public.

The laboratories test cocoa and chocolate:

Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Liquor, Cocoa Powder, Chocolate Syrup, Alkalized cocoa, various pH values, White Chocolates, Milk Chocolates, Semi-sweet Chocolates
Chocolate formulated candies and foods, Chocolate Confectionery products