Description
Author: Alan McClure
University of Missouri
PMCA Grant In Aid Recipient 2018-2019
Given that this project was funded almost in its entirety through the generosity of PMCA members, none of the exciting possibilities, such as performing sensory analysis at the Sensory Evaluation Center at Penn State’s storied Food Science department, are likely to have been possible otherwise. The quality of our data is certain to have increased immeasurably because of their generosity. All members of the PMCA with whom we interacted were incredibly helpful for this project, but it would be hard to find anyone who has been quite as instrumental in moving it along Ed Seguine, PMCA member and chocolate industry consultant, who virtually singlehandedly acquired cacao donations and cut-test and cacao moisture reports for the project in conjunction with the generosity of PMCA member company Guittard Chocolate. Additionally, Mr. Seguine was a deep well of theoretical and practical experience as it relates to cacao processing, especially as it pertained to the deceptively simple act of winnowing raw cacao and roasting small amounts of cacao. I would also like to acknowledge the PMCA point person for our project, Annelie Verbon, who was so pleasant and helpful to work with, and an absolute positive force for the project, and of course Brandy Kresge, who has been wonderful with keeping us abreast of all important meetings, and was also an excellent guide during our trip to PA in 2018.
