Training for cocoa and chocolate tasters begins in Vraem to strengthen product quality

Twenty producers, along with their children, members of cocoa organizations from 14 districts in the north, center, and south of the Valley of the Rivers Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro (Vraem), have begun their specialized training as cocoa and chocolate tasters. This training is promoted by the National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs (Devida) in alliance with the Vraem Productive CITE, with the aim of consolidating the quality of the product and improving its market positioning. The activity seeks to strengthen the technical capabilities of the cocoa growers and consolidate the quality of alternative crops, contributing to disconnecting more households from the risk of drug trafficking. To access this program, the participants underwent rigorous evaluations of knowledge, sensory skills, and interviews on the handling of cocoa and its derivatives. The goal is to train specialists capable of identifying and classifying flavor, aroma, and texture profiles, thus ...