What happens during the winnowing of cocoa beans?

Winnowing is a critical stage in cocoa processing that follows the roasting of the beans. During this operation, machines crack the roasted beans to break their outer shells. Once cracked, the mixture is subjected to blowers that fan away the lighter shells, effectively separating them from the heavier, valuable nibs inside.12

This process is essential because the shells, which represent about 8–10 percent of the raw bean's weight, must be removed before the nibs can be ground into chocolate liquor. While the nibs proceed to further processing, the discarded shells are often repurposed as fertilizer, mulch, or fuel. In some specific production methods, such as when creating alkalized (Dutched) chocolate liquor, the beans may be winnowed while still raw before undergoing subsequent roasting.12