ORTINOLA ESTATE FIELD TRIP - Vishal Ganessingh (Lecturer)

As part of the course FOOD 2012 Agro-Processing II - Fruits and Vegetables, students took part in a field trip to the Ortinola Great House Estate, situated in Maracas Valley St. Joseph.

The objective of the trip was for students to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the local cocoa industry and a better appreciation of the potential value and success that small business operations such as Ortinola Estate can have utilising local ingredients to produce high-end, value-added products.

The focus of the tour was to give students an overview of the "Tree to Chocolate Bar Process". Our tour guide, Ms. Nikita Nath, gave us a brief history of the Ortinola Great House Estate along with a walking and hands-on tour, detailing the cultivation, harvesting and processing of the cocoa beans. Students had the opportunity to handpick cocoa pods, crack them open, and taste the beans. The second half of the tour focused on the processing of the dried beans in chocolate bars, in which our tour guide took us through a step-by-step presentation on how the beans are roasted, winnowed, ground and then finally tempered into chocolate. Samples along with some of the Estate’s hand-crafted dark chocolate bars and cocoa products were made available for the students to purchase.

During the tour students asked many questions on issues related to cocoa processing such as cultivation practices, harvesting time and pest and diseases. Important information was also gained on the processing of the beans such as the roasting temperatures, sorting by colour and a brief demonstration shown on the actual tempering parameters of chocolate.  Many pertinent issues on the challenges and constraints faced by small business operators were also discussed.

Cocoa produced in Trinidad and Tobago is recognised worldwide for its fine flavour profile, superior quality and is used in many specialty products both at home and abroad. This gives Trinidad and Tobago a competitive advantage where young entrepreneurial students at The University of Trinidad and Tobago can see the strategic value the crop can have in boosting growth and development in the agro-processing industry.