After fermentation, the grains have a moisture content of 55%. For storage and subsequent processing, they must be dried until reaching 6 – 8% humidity. During this process, the oxidative reactions of fermentation continue to take place. The most commonly used drying technique is sunlight, because it induces the development of more pronounced flavors in the chocolate. In this case, it should dry approximately between 12 and 20 days, until the ideal humidity percentage is reached.
In regions where the presence of sunlight is irregular, mechanical dryers at 60 – 70 °C are used. In general, the weight loss due to drying is two-thirds of the weight of fresh beans.