Criollo (cocoa)

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Criollo (Spanish Creole ("native"), pronunciation : [ ˈkrjoʎo ]) is a variety of the cocoa tree ( Theobroma cacao ). It is assumed that all cocoa varieties come from the two basic types Criollo and Forastero .

General

The criollo is considered to be the noblest of the cocoa varieties because the cocoa beans have little bitter substances ( polyphenols ) and a low acid content. Since this cocoa plant does not grow in monocultures, but only in mixed planting for protection from the sun, it develops pleasant side aromas that, depending on the variety, e.g. B. remind of nuts, caramel, wild berries or tobacco. However, these cocoa trees are less productive than the main types of Forastero (also called Amazonica ) and are often susceptible to fungi and pests, which is why Criollo cocoa is of little importance on the world market. The share of all fine cocoa including Criollo in world production is around 5%.

The first cocoa trees to be cultivated were criollos and were grown first by the Olmecs , then the Maya and Aztecs in Central America. Criollo cocoa got its name when almost all cocoa imported into Europe came from Venezuela . The varieties native to Venezuela were called “Criollo”, and all varieties introduced later were called Forastero (Spanish for “ foreigner ”). However, the Venezuelan cocoa trees were no longer pure-blooded criollos at that time, but were already mixed race with influences from Forasteros from the Amazon region. Since today the plants are no longer characterized solely on the basis of the shape of the fruit and other morphological properties, but rather on the basis of analyzes of the genetic make-up, a distinction is made between the original, homozygous criollos and today's criollos, i.e. H. Varieties that are traditionally considered Criollo and are primarily native to Venezuela.

For the shape of the fruit, see also: varieties of the cocoa tree

Original criollos

Original, pure-bred criollos are very rare and could be found in Venezuela, the adjacent Andean region and in Central America. The plants show a very low genetic diversity, so that today it is assumed that all cocoa varieties are the result of crosses of the two basic types Criollo and Forastero.

  • Porcelana is considered a special Criollo. This variety was discovered in 1961 south of Lake Maracaibo (Sur del Lago de Maracaibo) in the Venezuelan state of Zulia . It has smooth, green to red fruits of the Angoleta type. This type of cocoa is grown in plantations in Venezuela and processed into fine chocolate .
  • Guasare comes from the Colombian province of Guajira on the border with Venezuela. It has green fruits with a rough surface in the shape of Angoleta.
  • Pentagona was previously regarded as a separate species due to its fruit shape and was called Theobroma pentagonum Bernoulli 1869 or "alligator cocoa". However, it is a pure-blooded Criollo from the state of Táchira in Venezuela.
  • Criollo Andino (Andean Criollo) describes a Criollo with long, cylindrical fruits from the Venezuelan Andean states of Mérida and Táchira.
  • Lacandón is the name of a rainforest in the state of Chiapas in Mexico . A “wild” criollo was discovered there, which is believed to be a relic of the Mayan cocoa cultivation .

Today's criollos (Criollo hybrids)

Today's criollos are the result of crossing with cocoa varieties of the Forastero or Trinitario type . Genetically, they are similar to the Trinitarios, which arose from a cross between Criollo and Forastero. Due to their special taste properties, they are one of the criollos.

  • Ocumare 61 (OC-61) is an important Criollo hybrid from the Ocumare de la Costa region ( Aragua state , Venezuela). It has rough, green to yellow fruits in the shape of a cundeamor. Fermented cocoa beans of this variety develop aromas of almonds and cherries and are used in the production of fine chocolates.
  • Chuao is a cross between Criollo and Trinitario. It can be found on the coast of the state of Aragua in Venezuela. It has red, slightly furrowed Angoleta-shaped fruits.

Cadmium exposure

The contamination of cocoa with cadmium is relatively high. Criollo has the highest levels.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Association of companies involved in the raw cocoa trade: The cocoa cultivation today. ( Memento from February 11, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ^ "Food Monitoring Report 2006." BVL - Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety
  3. ↑ "Toxic elements in foods using the example of cadmium in chocolate." Current newsreel from the German Chemical Society (GDCh)

literature

  • Heinrich Fincke: Handbook of cocoa products. 2nd Edition. Springer-Verlag , Berlin, 1965
  • Motomayor et al .: Sampling the Genetic Diversity of Criollo Cacao in Central and South America. INGENIC Newsletter No. 4, Dec. 1998
  • Motomayor et al .: The genetic diversity of Criollo cacao and its consequence in quality breeding. Primer Congreso Venezolano del Cacao y su Industria, 2000, pp. 33-56

Movie

  • A dream of chocolate. Documentary, Germany, France, 2004, 52 min., Script and director: Jörg Daniel Hissen, Peter Moers, production: MedienKontor FFP, GEO , arte , series: 360 ° - Geo Reportage, first broadcast: December 30, 2004, summary by arte with video clip (1:37 min.), broadcast text

Web links