Export Cocoa: Moisture Control Guide
Cocoa with no sweat and no mould
How to protect your cocoa beans and nibs from sweating, condensation and mould using the 2 kg SECARGO II desiccant, a cardboard lining and sound stowage practice.
1. The problem
Cocoa beans are highly hygroscopic: they release between 1 and 3% of their water during the voyage. In a closed container that moisture condenses and “sweats” onto the bags, leaving dirty water stains and clusters of beans covered in white mould. At high humidity mould and aflatoxins appear, and the lot loses value or is rejected.
The bean sweats
It releases 1–3% of its water during the voyage and that water condenses on the bags.
White mould
Dirty water stains and caked beans covered in white mould.
Rejection and aflatoxins
High humidity breeds fungi and the toxins that destination markets monitor.
The 2 kg SECARGO II desiccant captures the moisture the cocoa releases and holds it as a gel, cutting sweating and mould inside the container.
2. The product
The 2 kg SECARGO II is the unit for cocoa in containers. Calcium chloride formula: it absorbs 300% of its own weight in water — around 6 kg per unit — and holds it as a gel. Its double pack adds an extra containment barrier so the liquid never reaches the bean.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Composition | Calcium chloride formula |
| Absorption capacity | 300% — three times its weight |
| Water retained per unit | ~6 kg |
| Format | 2 kg hanging unit, double pack |
| Retention | Gel — does not drip |
The double pack means that even when the unit is saturated the gel stays contained and never reaches the beans or the bags.
3. Before loading
Measure — bean moisture 6–7.5%
Check that the cocoa sits between 6 and 7.5% moisture. Below 6% the bean turns brittle; above 8% there is a real risk of sweating and mould. A badly fermented or badly dried bean releases more vapour, so review the drying before you load. Measure the floor moisture and check the container for leaks.
Prepare — cardboard lining and dunnage
Line the inside with double-wall corrugated cardboard or another absorbent material, as the industry guides recommend. Put dunnage or pallets on the floor so the bags never touch the steel. Do not rest the bags against the walls: that is where condensation and mould concentrate.
4. Placement
For cocoa the industry practice is unambiguous: the SECARGO II hangs from a cord strong enough to carry its full saturated weight, and it never sits directly on top of the bags.
Do this
- Hung from a cord rated for the full saturated weight
- In the door area and along the container, in a zigzag
- With the inside lined in double-wall cardboard
- With dunnage or pallets on the floor
- No direct contact with the beans
Not this
- Placed directly on the cocoa bags
- Piled at one end
- With the bags resting against the walls
- With damp bean (above 8%) or poorly dried bean
- With no lining and no dunnage
5. The dose
Cocoa is highly hygroscopic and releases a good deal of water, so a generous dose pays off. The industry reference is of the order of 16 units of 2 kg for a 20 ft container. Adjust for how well the bean was dried, the route and the voyage length.
| Container | Low risk | Medium risk | High risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft | 12 units | 14 units | 16 units |
| 40 ft | 24 units | 28 units | 32 units |
| 40 ft HC | 26 units | 30 units | 34 units |
SECARGO II units of 2 kg. Low risk = well-dried bean and a short route; high = tropical or monsoon route, or a long voyage. Always combine with a double-wall cardboard lining and dunnage.
6. Frequent questions
What is the right moisture for export cocoa?
Between 6 and 7.5%. Below 6% the bean turns brittle; above 8% the risk of sweating, mould and aflatoxins is high.
How many SECARGO II units do I need?
The industry reference is of the order of 16 units of 2 kg for a 20 ft container, and roughly double that for a 40 ft. Use the table according to risk and confirm with your SECAL adviser.
What does the double pack add?
An extra containment barrier: even if the unit saturates, the gel stays held inside and never reaches the bean or the bags.
Why should the desiccant not sit on the bags?
Because the industry guides advise against it. It should hang from a cord rated for its full weight, so that it neither presses on the bean nor drips onto it.
Why does cocoa sweat so much?
It is highly hygroscopic and releases 1 to 3% of its water during the voyage, above all if it was badly fermented or badly dried. That water condenses inside the container.
How many units does your cocoa need?
We help you set the dose, the lining and the placement for your bean and your route.
This guide is a reference. Confirm product, dose and placement with your SECAL adviser according to your cargo and route. SECAL technical guides · PROTEXPO S.A.C. / SECAL, Lima, Peru.