FCC Guidelines compliance for shipping cocoa beans

Absortech desiccants are FCC guidelines compliance for shipping cocoa beans. The Federation of Cocoa Commerce published these updated guidelines in 2013. They recommend the use of desiccant bags as a method of moisture control. Specifically, it recommends the usage of desiccants that contain at least 65% calcium chloride. Consequently, the FCC no longer recommends silica gel for the shipment of cocoa.

Absortech’s products such as AbsorGel^® comply with this requirement and surpass it. Thanks to its composition, AbsorGel® guarantees a high absorption capacity with a minimal cost. AbsorGel® main ingredient is calcium chloride that has proven to effectively remove moisture from the air. It bounds the water into a gel and avoids leakage during the shipment of cocoa beans.

Water absorption requirements for shipping cocoa beans

The FCC also establish a minimum water absorption for shipping cocoa beans, depending on the size of the container and the travel distance. The absorption minimums, which Absortech met, are 20 litres of water absorption for 20-foot containers and 40 litres for 40-foot containers.

These are the requirements for shipments from the countries of origin of cocoa beans to Europe, while trips to Asia require a higher absorption capacity of 40 litres for a 20 ft container and 60 litres for a 40 ft container. Absortech container desiccant dimensioning guidelines for cocoa beans shipment comply with these requirements.

Guidelines about desiccants position

It is mentioned in the regulation where desiccants must be placed to guarantee that the condition of the cocoa beans is perfect upon arrival. Absortech provides devices such as hooks that facilitate this process and allows you to fix the desiccant bags from the tie-down points on top of the long sidewalls of the containers.

The objectives of these guidelines are to promote best practices in the shipment of cocoa beans in containers. Including the preparation of containers, the loading process or the control of the shipping conditions to avoid any damage to the cocoa beans.

Cocoa: beans sensitive to moisture

Cocoa beans are a delicate and valuable product. Changes in climate conditions can affect its taste and smell very easy.  According to market demands, cocoa beans are shipped large distances. From traditional cocoa exporting countries in Africa or South America to markets such as Europe or Asia. These long voyages expose beans to weather conditions that bring moisture inside the containers.

If you want to get information about how to protect your shipment of cocoa beans from moisture, contact us.

For further details about our container desiccants, click here.

About the FCC

The Federation of Cocoa Commerce was founded in 2002 as a result of the merge of other associations focused on the cocoa trade. The objective of the FCC is to serve the growing cocoa beans trade business and build a solid commercial framework. To meet this objective they regulate trade and establish guidelines and rules for all actors in the cocoa supply chain. For further information about the Federation of Cocoa Commerce, visit their website.

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