Un método colorimétrico simple para determinacao da intensidade de contaminacao com fumaca em amendoas de cacau

A simple colorimetric method was developed for determining the intensity of smoke contamination in cocoa beans. The tar compounds typically found with smoke contamination are freely soluble in ethyl alcohol 96 per cent giving a characteristic yellow color the intensity of which can be assessed both visually and spectrophotometrically. For practical purposes the method permits and accurate visual determination by comparing prepared standards with samples made on the spot from any lot of cocoa beans. Such a method expected to be used at the cocoa grading stations to detect smoke contaminated cocoa beans