Classification of Cocoa Beans Based on their Level of Fermentation using Spectral Information

Cocoa beans are the most important raw material for chocolate industry and an essential product economy of tropical countries such as Colombia. Their price mainly depends on their quality, which is determined by various aspects, good agricultural practices, harvest point, level fermentation. The entities that regulate international marketing cocoa have been encouraging development new classification methods that, compared to current techniques, could save time, reduce waste, increase number evaluated beans. In particular, hyperspectral images a novel tool food quality control. However, studies examined some parameters using spectroscopy also involve chemical evaluation powder liquor interior beans, implies invasive analysis, longer times, waste generation. Therefore, in this paper, we assess based fermentation noninvasive system obtain information, well fast image processing spectral techniques. We obtained 90 range between 350 950 nm optical laboratory. addition, each bean was classified according its level: slightly fermented (SF), correctly (CF), highly (HF). with carried out experts from Colombia National Federation Growers reported Colombian technical standard No. 1252. results show dried can be estimated acquisition