Cacao Bean

Also known as Grain or Seed.

The 20 to 40 flat, almond-shaped seeds found in the cacao pod of the Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao beans are the source of all chocolate and cocoa. All cacao is grown in tropical rainforests; almost all of these are in third world countries. When first picked, the beans have tropical flavours of pineapple and lychee; however, in a few hours the sugars convert and the seeds become bitter and inedible. Chocolate producers buy the beans through brokers in the countries of origin. Some cacao beans may be purchased directly from small cooperatives of growers, others from individual farms, and in some countries, such as Ghana, the beans must be bought through a country's Cacao Board. Chocolate is then produced by fermenting, drying, roasting, grinding and conching the beans.