Cocoa Bean: Trade Standards, Postharvest Processing, Re-Emerging Spoilage Microorganism, and Quality Controls Anton Rahmadi December edition preview A complex process is carried out before the bean traded and converted into consumable goods. Harvesting, fermentation, drying, storage and distribution are the common unit operations of cocoa bean. Inappropriate measurement of time, temperature and other environmental conditions can increase probability for mycotoxigenic fungi to grow. Cocoa bean is actually seed of Theobroma cacao L trees and is covered in mucilaginous pulp inside cocoa pods. During harvesting, seed and the associated pulp are removed from the pods, mainly by hand or simple tools, followed by spreading into heap, boxes, or trays for fermentation. The bean is allowed to ferment for various durations, depending on the farmer practises, but it mainly occurs for 6-12 days. The fermentation is a traditional (natural) process that is conducted by growth of indigenous microflor