The preparations of cocoa are so numerous that more or less confusion of terms naturally arises. Most American manufacturers prepare a plain chocolate (known in Europe as cacao-masse), made by reducing the roasted and husked beans to a paste and pressing into the form of cakes. When this is combined with much or little sugar (generally much), vanilla and spices, the various "sweet," "vanilla sweet," "vanilla," "spiced," etc., chocolates are produced. These are also usually met in the form of cakes, but are sometimes pulverized and sold as "powdered chocolates." The high percentage of fat renders a permanent powder impossible without its partial removal or the addition of some diluent, as sugar, starch, or flour. The preparations in powder, known as "cocoas," "bromas," etc., are prepared in accordance with one or the other, or a combination of these methods.

1 Op. cit., note 1, p. 939 of this work.

2 Ann. Chim. Phys. [5], 28,433; Jour. Chem. Soc, 1884,46, 202; Chem. Ztg., 1883, 203 and 902.

3 Op. cit., note 8, p. 938 of this work.

Cocao shells are offered on the market in bulk and in packages, but their use seems to be quite limited at present.

For more detailed information in regard to the preparations found in American markets, see tabulated results of investigations given below.

Blyth1 says:

The commercial varieties of cocoa are very numerous: Cocoa nibs are simply the bruised, roasted seeds deprived of their coverings, and flake cocoa is composed of the nibs ground in a particular form of mill. The soluble cocoas are ground cocoa, diluted with sugar and starches.

In the manufacture of chocolate, the cocoa nibs are ground in a mill, the rollers of which are usually heated by steam, so as to soften the cocoa butter; and in this way a paste is formed which is mixed with refined sugar, and very often other substance, and pressed into molds.

The Association of Swiss Analytical Chemists2 has adopted the fol lowing definitions of terms:

(1) Cacao-masse (pure pate). The beans are roasted, husked, ground, and pressed into forms.

(2) Cacao deprived of its fat is prepared by heating cacao-masse, removing about one-half of itsoil by pressure, and pulverizing the residue.

(3) Soluble cacao-powder is prepared by treating the cacao deprived of its fat with ammonia, alkaline carbonates, or steam, so as to destroy the cellular structure and convert the albumenoid constituents into a soluble modification.

(4) Cacao-powder is cacao-masse, wholly or partially deprived of fat and flavored with spices (vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, etc.).

(5) Chocolate is pure cacao-masse mixed with sugar and pressed into forms or powdered. Other admixtures, such as spices, flour, etc., must be designated on the package.

(6) Couverture,

(7) Chocolat a la noisette, etc., are prepared from the above by adding almonds, hazelnuts, etc.

Moeller3, writing in Germany, notes the following preparations:

The cocoa preparations of commerce and consumption are cocoa flour or cocoa deprived of fat, cocoa butter, Holland cocoa, cocoa tea, and, most important of all, chocolate.

Cocoa seeds contain 35 per cent to 54 per cent of fat, which renders them difficultly digestible for children and convalescents, to whom a nourishing and stimulating food must be given. Therefore, the greater part of the fat is removed by pressure and the press residue designated as cocoa deprived of fat.

If the fat is not entirely removed by the pressure and the residue is still plastic, from it is prepared "Gesundheits Schokolade," under which name are also found shameful adulterations.

The desire to make an easily digestible cocoa preparation without removing the fat, led to the preparation of the so-called Holland cocoa. (It is, however, not certain that this object is in reality accomplished. By many it is stated that the alkalis directly hinder the digestion by neutralization of the acid of the stomach; and besides, by saponification of the fat, because experience shows that the soap is not agreeable to the stomach. Contrary opinions are asserted from the standpoint of sanitary police. By application of alkalis, the ash content is considerably raised [to over 9 per cent against 4 per cent in cocoa], which, according to the Deutschen Reichs-Gesundheitsamtes, is to be considered an adulteration. Recently, May 24, 1884, a process for making cocoa preparations soluble was patented by Lobeck & Co. In this process the material is heated, with or without water, in a closed vessel for thirty minutes at 150° C.) The cocoa beans are soaked several hours in water in which potassium or sodium hydrate (2 per cent to 4 per cent) and magnesia are dissolved, then dried and pulverized.

1Op. cit., note 3, p. 936 of this work.

2Op. cit., note 3, p. 949 of this work. 3 Op. cit., note 3, p. 940 of this work.

All good cocoa preparations should be made from the cotyledons only. For this purpose the seeds are always husked and the husks, under the name of "cocoa tea," constitute an independent article of commerce. The husks serve for the preparation of cheaper kinds of chocolate and for adulteration; when, in consequence of the small amount of theobromine contained therein, the addition of husks is usually considered unallowable.

The most general preparation of cocoa is chocolate. For its preparation the husked seeds, with the addition of sugar (50 per cent or more) and spices, are ground to a paste at an elevated temperature and pressed into forms.

Results of the examination of four cocoa powders by Stutzer1 for the purpose of determining the effect of the process of manufacture on the chemical constituents.

[I is composed of 40 per cent Ariba, 40 per cent Machala, and 20 per cent Bahia cocoa, and was made in Wittekop & Co.'s factory in Braunschweig, without the use of chemicals. II is a sample of Holland cocoa III and IV are German cocoas, and, in Stutzer's opinion, were prepared by use of ammonia.]

1 Op. cit., note 3, p. 939 of this work.