Influence of drying methods on cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.): antioxidant activity and presence of ochratoxin A

Construction of an Automated Removal Robot for the Natural Drying of Cacao Beans

Cacao producers often obtain low-quality beans due to the poor manual drying process. This study proposes the construction of an automated prototype robot for the removal during natural drying of cacao beans at Cooperativa Agraria Allima Cacao Ltd., Peru, and evaluates its effectiveness on bean quality. The robot comprises three modules (control, displacement, and removal) and motion sensors. Four 400 kg batches were analyzed, obtaining moisture contents of 6.71, 8.59, 7.74, and 6.80% with the robot, compared to 7.86, 7.94, 6.60, and 7.54% with the manual method. The standard deviations in the grains treated with the robot were lower, evidencing a more uniform drying. In addition, the total phenol content was higher in the robot-dried beans, indicating better preservation of bioactive compounds. Although the robot did not reduce the drying time, we conclude that its sustainable and economically accessible design contributed to obtaining higher-quality beans compared to the conventional method, with more homogeneous drying and better preservation of phenols, key aspects for producing high-quality cacao.

Impact of combined sun and hybrid drying technologies on cocoa drying process and quality

The drying process is essential in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) production, significantly influencing product quality and energy consumption. This study compares four drying methods: sun drying (SD), solar-electric hybrid drying (HD), SD followed by HD (SD + HD), and HD followed by SD (HD + SD). The physicochemical properties (shrinkage, fermentation index, pH, total acidity, color), bioactive compounds (total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity), and drying efficiency (drying rate, effective moisture diffusivity, energy consumption) were assessed. Results show that HD and HD + SD effectively preserve cocoa's physicochemical and antioxidant properties. Starting with HD increases the drying rate by 20 %, resulting in higher moisture diffusivity coefficients (over 4.12 × 10-7 m2/s). Combining HD with SD reduces energy consumption by 56.6 %, improving energy efficiency. SD increased cocoa bean shrinkage by up to 9 %, and HD maintained phenolic content. The HD + SD method is, therefore, a promising, energy-efficient alternative for small-scale cocoa producers, contributing to industry innovation and sustainability.

Unravelling Cocoa Drying Technology: A Comprehensive Review of the Influence on Flavor Formation and Quality

Cocoa quality serves as a differentiating factor that provides monetary and non-monetary benefits to farmers, defined by the genotype, agroecological conditions of cultivation, and the post-harvest processes involved in transforming seeds into cocoa beans, including harvesting, pre-conditioning, fermentation, and drying. Drying plays a crucial role in ensuring the sensory, chemical, and microbiological quality of the beans, as simultaneous mass and heat transfer phenomena occur during this process, along with chemical reactions (both enzymatic and non-enzymatic) that influence the concentration and dynamics of phenolic compounds, organic acids, methylxanthines, and the formation of volatiles, directly impacting flavor development in cocoa beans. This paper comprehensively reviews cocoa drying methods, variables, and equipment and analyzes their impact on these flavor-determining compounds. The findings highlight that drying significantly contributes to the production of differentiated and specialty quality traits. An integral relationship between the methods, operating variables, and drying equipment applied to cocoa and their implications for the volatile and non-volatile compounds is described.

Acute, Subchronic, and Genetic Toxicity Assessments of a Composition of Citrus aurantifolia Fruit Rind and Theobroma cacao Seed Extracts

LN19183 is a standardized composition of Citrus aurantifolia (Christm) Swingle (CA) fruit rind and Theobroma cacao L. (TC) seed extracts that have recently been demonstrated to increase resting energy expenditure (REE) and reduce body fat in rats. CA and TC are important herbs in traditional medicine for various health benefits. The present study evaluates the comprehensive toxicity of LN19183 in acute, subchronic, and genetic toxicity studies following the guidelines of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for testing chemicals. The acute oral and dermal and 90-day subchronic oral toxicities were performed in rats, and acute dermal and eye irritations were performed in rabbits. In the subchronic toxicity study with a 28-day recovery period, male and female Sprague Dawley rats were orally gavaged with daily LN19183 doses of 500, 1000, or 2000 mg/kg body weight (BW). Furthermore, the genetic toxicity studies included mutagenicity in bacteria, chromosome aberration, and micronucleus assays in human blood mononuclear cells in vitro and micronucleus assay in Swiss albino mice bone marrow in vivo. Acute and subchronic repeat dose oral toxicity studies showed no adverse events, clinical signs, or mortality. All animals exhibited normal food and water intake and natural BW gain. In the 90-day study, LN19183 did not induce major changes in hematology, biochemical evaluations, and urine analysis; gross and histopathological findings did not show any treatment-related lesions or abnormality. The no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of LN19183 supplementation was 2000 mg/kg BW/day. In the genetic toxicity studies, LN19183 treatment did not show significant increases in the revertant bacterial colonies, chromosomal aberrations, or number of micronucleated cells. The present observations affirm that oral consumption of LN19183 is safe, and this botanical composition is nonmutagenic and nonclastogenic.

Assessment of pesticide knowledge, Safety Practices and postharvest handling among cocoa farmers in South Western Nigeria

Cocoa beans are susceptible to fungal contamination during processing and storage. The knowledge of the use of pesticides and post-harvest handling of cocoa beans among farmers is of great importance for safe consumption. The study evaluated common cocoa production and post-harvest practices of farmers in selected study locations in South Western Nigeria. Primary data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaires, and interviews. The collected data were analyzed using inferential descriptive statistics. The results of 394 farmers showed that 52.9 % in Osun and 47.3 % in Oyo were primarily farmers by occupation, the rest had other ventures. The majority of cocoa farmers were men:83.6 % in Oyo State, 88.2 % in Osun state and 87.9 % in Ondo state. 28.6 % and 32.7 % of farmers were aged 51-60 in the Ondo and Oyo communities, respectively. Osun farming communities are dominated by young adults (51 %) of 31-50 years, followed by Ondo 40 % and36 % of farmers in Oyo State. Most cocoa farmers were married with 4-6 children as the most common household size in Osun (51 %), Ondo (60.4 %) and 49.1 % in Oyo State. The literacy level of farmers in cocoa communities was the highest in Oyo state where 47.3 % had tertiary education. Farmers in Oyo State had better knowledge of the dangers of pesticides than Ondo and Osun. However, ignorance of dangers in agrochemicals was higher among Osun farmers than in Ondo State. The highest (18 %) pesticide use during storage was recorded among Oyo farmers, while the least (11.0 %) was recorded among farmers in Ondo State. Pesticide usage was more abundant in Osun (50 %) during cocoa production than in the other study areas. The majority of farmers were positively disposed to make use of nose masks during agrochemical application, meanwhile, 69 %, 62 %, and 61 % of farmers used them already in Oyo, Ondo, and Osun states, respectively. Educational qualification (χ2 = 9.176, p = 0.027) of cocoa farmers was significantly related to knowledge of best practices. Farmers with higher education have a greater ability to receive and process information relating to global best practices in production, postharvest, and pesticide handling in cocoa. In conclusion, cocoa farmers' knowledge of processing, use of pesticides, and storage practices differed from one location to another. Intensive orientation and more enlightenment by extension workers against indiscriminate use of pesticides in cocoa plantations and stores must be consistently and continuously done.

Solar Cookers and Dryers: Environmental Sustainability and Nutraceutical Content in Food Processing

This work reviewed the state of the art concerning solar cookers and dryers used in food processing. The general description of solar cookers and dryers was presented, with a specific attention to the equipment where the cooking takes place with the contribution of the direct sunlight. Some insight about the history of design and development of devices that use solar light to process food were provided. The possibility to store the heat produced by solar light using Phase Change Materials was analyzed. Moreover, some "case-studies" were revised and discussed, in which solar light is efficiently used to dry or cook food, focusing on the quality of the food in terms of nutraceuticals content. The analyzed literature points out the necessity for further research about the effects produced by direct solar rays on different foods. The reliable data on this aspect will allow assessment of the quality of food transformation by solar cookers and dryers, adding a strong incentive to the development of such devices, up to now primarily motivated by energy-saving and environmental issues.

A Review of Cocoa Drying Technologies and the Effect on Bean Quality Parameters

Considering drying as a key farm-based, quality determining unit operation in the cocoa processing chain, this paper reviews recent studies in the drying methods and quality parameters of cocoa beans. Open sun, solar, oven, microwave, and freeze drying methods have been investigated at various levels in the drying of cocoa beans with objectives to improve the drying properties and final quality of cocoa beans. While an open sun dryer employs natural passive mechanisms, the solar drying methods can employ a combination of passive and active mechanisms. The oven, microwave, and freeze drying methods are fully active requiring electrical energy inputs. To improve drying rates in the open sun method, dryer materials and location of drying trays are the parameters optimized since the drying temperature depends on solar intensity. For solar dryers, materials, angles of elevation, heaters, and fans are manipulated to optimize energy absorption and drying parameters. For the oven and microwave methods, drying air properties are directly controlled by electronic systems. Moisture content, mouldiness, bean colour, pH, titratable acidity, fat content, and acetic acid concentration are the most widely evaluated bean quality parameters.