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HCP Protocol for Bean Submission and Requirements for Processing & EvaluationHCP IDENTIFICATION NUMBER Upon registering on the USDA site, and completing the application, the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Initiative (HCP) Applicant receives an HCP Identification Number. This number and bean information will be the ONLY information the HCP Lab sees when performing the blind processing and evaluation procedures for the Tasting Panel. QUANTITY OF BEANS NEEDED FOR EVALUATION The HCP requires EIGHT (8) kilograms of cocoa beans – cleaned and dried weight – representing the population of trees and commercial shipment quantity proposed Heirloom designation. The HCP defines “cleaned” as having all broken beans and foreign material removed. For those Applicants who normally wash and polish beans after drying, the HCP considers washing and polishing part of the cleaning process. WHAT KIND OF BEANS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED
We ask for 8 kg of beans to ensure sufficient beans for the primary Lab tasks, provide spare beans in case of preparation or shipment problems, and allow for retained samples and returning liquor and chocolate samples to the Applicants. We assume the beans will be clean with no cleaning losses, and the yield of cleaned, roasted nibs from raw beans will be 65%. Thus, 3kg of beans are needed to cover the following HCP Lab tasks for evaluation:
Remaining beans are stored pending the Tasting Panel evaluation. If designated Heirloom, the remaining beans are used to make chocolate samples for the FCIA and media.
FERMENTATION & DRYING REQUIREMENTS
It is recommended that Applicants store a minimum of 8kg of beans in the following ideal storage conditions.
Applicants will need to confirm the details of the farm from the first part of the HCP Application and email the following additional information to the HCP prior to shipping:
Applicants MUST ensure that all necessary paperwork including bill of lading, commercial invoices, customs declarations, and any required United States FDA Prior Notice requirements are met. If you do not have an account for Prior Notice you can create an account in less than ten minutes on the FDA Site: CLICK HERE Prior to shipment of the cocoa beans, the Applicant should assemble and then enclose all this paperwork as well as a copy of the application information provided at the end of the Submission portion of the HCP Application with the Applicant’s HCP Identification Number. SHIPPING REQUIREMENTS
Paperwork and unmarked bags of beans should be sent to the HCP LAB. ADDRESS IS GIVEN WHEN THE USDA APPLICATION IS COMPLETED. The HCP Lab will log the receipt of the beans by their HCP Identification Number. Applicant and HCP Tasting Panel will receive notification when this shipment is logged as received.While at the HCP Lab, prior to evaluations, beans will be stored in a temperature and humidity controlled environment to ensure their stability. Beans will be stored separately from all other cocoa beans to minimize the opportunity for any infestation. Following receipt at the HCP Lab, beans will be scheduled for bean counting, cut tests, and raw bean moisture content test and prepared for processing into liquor and chocolate – see the subsequent protocols in the left menu. Click here to Download a PDF of the complete HCP Protocols through Evaluation in English
Un PDF completo de los protocolos en español está disponible por hacer clic aquí Cliquez ici pour une version française des protocoles entières en PDF Uma versão completa no formato PDF dos protocolos em Português está disponível ao clicar aqui |