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How a large shell share lowers the cocoa liquor yield

Small or poorly cleaned beans give up to 16 % shell. The calculator shows how much liquor and butter is lost compared with a typical batch.

Parameters

Result

Approximate calculation using a simplified model: for designing equipment and process modes, consult a technologist.

Calculation example

Cocoa bean mass
1 000 kg
Moisture loss in roasting
5 %
Shell and germ (of roasted beans)
16 %
Loss when grinding nibs into liquor
1 %
Cocoa liquor fat
54 %
Cocoa cake fat after pressing
11 %
Cocoa liquor
790,0 kg
Cocoa nibs
798,0 kg
Cocoa butter
381,7 kg
Cocoa cake (powder)
408,3 kg
Liquor yield from beans
79,0 %
Butter yield from beans
38,2 %
Beans per 1 kg of liquor
1,27 kg
Beans per 1 kg of butter
2,62 kg

Frequently asked questions

How to reduce the shell share?
Better bean grading before roasting and a tuned winnowing separator remove the shell more effectively.

The calculations are approximate: they help to assess the process and compare options, but do not replace a process design and trials on a specific raw material. This section is for reference only and contains no commercial offers.