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A fast method for the determination of methylxanthines in cocoa products and drugs based on PS-MS/MS under MRM condition has been developed. Analyte ions were generated by applying a high voltage on a paper substrate drenched of sample extract using a small volume (∼15 μL) of spray solvent. The gas phase chemistry of the molecules under investigation has been elucidated. The accuracy values of the methodology ranged from 95 to 110%, while the analytical parameters LOQ, LOD, recovery and reproducibility, calculated analyzing spiked samples, confirmed the consistency of the proposed method. Furthermore, real samples have been analyzed both by the developed methodology and by using a classical HPLC-UV approach obtaining comparable values., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

For sustainable use of lignocellulosic resources, pruned tree branches of cocoa, one of the major evergreen tropical tree crops with significant economic importance worldwide, were investigated as a potential source of kraft pulp. This study determined the chemical composition, fiber dimensions, kraft pulp, and paper properties of the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao L.) branches compared to the deciduous trees traditionally used in the paper industry. A handsheet of cocoa pulp showed promising results with narrow fiber length distribution, high paper density, and high mechanical strength. The yield of kraft pulp made from cocoa branches wood was lower. The tensile and burst indices of cocoa pulp handsheet were 2 and 2.5 times higher than that of hardwood traditionally used in the paper industry. These results suggest a potential use of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) tree branch wood for pulp production using the kraft process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural drugs derived from plants are becoming more popular because of their apparent biological efficacy, affordability, and safety. A byproduct of cocoa farms, cocoa pod husk (CPH), is often disregarded yet contains an abundance of phenolic chemicals that have antimicrobial and antioxidant features, which has led to intensive investigation into possible biomedical applications. In order to identify crucial functional groups and phytochemical components, we carefully examined the 80% ethanol and dichloromethane extracts of CPH using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and HPLC. The antibacterial and antioxidant properties of such extracts and their impact on cytotoxicity and α-glucosidase were explored. According to our results, the 80% ethanol and dichloromethane extracts contained 19 and 12 phytochemical components, respectively. Interestingly, at 250 µg/mL, all CPH extracts showed strong antibacterial properties that totally prevented the bacterial growth. At 66.6% and 82.7%, respectively, the ethanol and dichloromethane extracts showed impressive antioxidant and DPPH scavenging capabilities where the ethanol extract showed a substantially lower IC50 value of 35.26 µg/mL than the dichloromethane extract, which had an IC 50 value of 23.88 µg/mL. Furthermore, the α-glucosidase inhibitory effect of the dichloromethane extract was found to be better, as shown by its IC 50 value of 126.5 µg/mL, which was lower than that of the ethanol extract at 151.3 µg/mL. The extracts' compatibility was verified by cytotoxicity tests, which revealed no appreciable alterations in the cell lines. Additionally, novel in silico molecular docking experiments were performed on 25 discovered compounds, providing insight into their possible bioactivity. Broad-spectrum activities of extracts were confirmed by molecular docking investigations aimed at interacting with α-glucosidase proteins. Our thorough analysis makes CPH extracts seem like the excellent candidates for biomedical uses. These results provide new insights into the therapeutic potential of CPH extracts and pave the way for the development of innovative medications and natural remedies., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethical Approval The current research does not have any investigations with human or experimental animals. Consent for Publication All authors consent for the publication of the present data, images, and related information. Competing Interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Risk is associated with every sector of an economy, and the pervasiveness of risk in agriculture is not new to farmers; they have, over the decades, developed ways to minimize and cope with it. The question is whether traditional strategies employed by farmers are adequate to curb unavoidable natural disasters. This study aims to see how crop insurance affects cocoa producers' incomes in Ghana. A well-structured questionnaire was delivered to a sample of 600 cocoa farmers in Ghana's Ashanti region, and data was collected using a multi-stage random sampling technique. Tobit and propensity score matching effect estimators were used to examine crop insurance's impact on cocoa farmers' income. We found that the age of a cocoa farmer has a negative effect on the farmer's income and is statistically significant. Our result also shows that the marital status of cocoa farmers has a significant positive impact on their income. The relationship between savings and farmers' income was positive in our estimation. It indicates that an increase in savings attitude leads to a higher income for the farmers. The result indicates that crop insurance had a significant positive impact on cocoa farmers' income in the Ashanti region. The study recommends that the government of Ghana, with urgency, design agricultural insurance policy that can capture various farmers in the country to enhance their income and reduce poverty. Again, insurers need to promote publicity through public seminars, training, and media advertising to improve farmer awareness and knowledge of the insurance scheme., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In recent times, public concerns over the potential accumulation of heavy metals in agricultural soils and crops due to the excessive use of agrochemicals are increasing. This study was conducted in the Abuakwa North Municipality of Eastern Region, Ghana, to assess the status of heavy metals in cocoa soils and beans. Cocoa farms aged between 10 and 20 years and have received agrochemicals for at least 5 years were selected, and their adjacent forests were used as controls. Soil samples and cocoa pods were collected randomly and processed for laboratory analysis. The study discovered that across the sampling sites, heavy metal concentrations in soil were below permissible limits. However, contamination factor and geo-accumulation index results revealed that Tontro cocoa farms were considerably contaminated and moderately polluted respectively with Cu, probably due to long-term fungicide application. The concentrations of Fe (39.3-47.1 mg kg -1 ) and Zn (54.8-70.0 mg kg -1 ) in the cocoa beans across the communities were below the FAO/WHO's safe limit of 99.4 mg kg -1 and 73.0 mg kg -1 respectively. Lead (0.03-0.06 mg kg -1 ) and Cd (0.12-0.20 mg kg -1 ) concentrations were below the EU's maximum allowable level and Codex Alimentarius Commission's limit of 1.0 mg kg -1 respectively. However, bean Cu content in the Tontro farm (51.5 mg kg -1 ) was slightly above the EU's recommended maximum limit of 50.0 mg kg -1 , possibly due to the continuous application of copper-based fungicides. The study showed that, overall, agrochemicals used for cocoa farming in Abuakwa North Municipality of Ghana did not cause serious harm to the soils and beans, since the mean metal concentrations were not alarming and guarantee public health safety., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

A two-step process combining direct and indirect somatic embryogenesis, on solid and liquid medium, respectively is described for Theobroma cacao L. Staminodes and petals from unopened bud flowers are used to induce primary direct embryos. Then, these primary embryos are cut to produce embryogenic calli which will develop secondary embryos. This step of indirect SE allows us to produce large quantities of embryos and to do mass propagation using liquid culture medium. Despite a very strong clone dependency and high batch-to-batch variability, about 80% of T. cacao cultivars respond to somatic embryogenesis and can be propagated by this method., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome that represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. Several nutraceuticals have shown interesting clinical results in HF prevention as well as in the treatment of the early stages of the disease, alone or in combination with pharmacological therapy. The aim of the present expert opinion position paper is to summarise the available clinical evidence on the role of phytochemicals in HF prevention and/or treatment that might be considered in those patients not treated optimally as well as in those with low therapy adherence. The level of evidence and the strength of recommendation of particular HF treatment options were weighed up and graded according to predefined scales. A systematic search strategy was developed to identify trials in PubMed (January 1970 to June 2019). The terms 'nutraceuticals', 'dietary supplements', 'herbal drug' and 'heart failure' or 'left verntricular dysfunction' were used in the literature search. The experts discussed and agreed on the recommendation levels. Available clinical trials reported that the intake of some nutraceuticals (hawthorn, coenzyme Q10, l-carnitine, d-ribose, carnosine, vitamin D, probiotics, n-3 PUFA and beet nitrates) might be associated with improvements in self-perceived quality of life and/or functional parameters such as left ventricular ejection fraction, stroke volume and cardiac output in HF patients, with minimal or no side effects. Those benefits tended to be greater in earlier HF stages. Available clinical evidence supports the usefulness of supplementation with some nutraceuticals to improve HF management in addition to evidence-based pharmacological therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical characterization of chocolate products is vital in manufacturing, and the chocolate's processing time and composition directly influence physical properties, such as rheology and melting. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of processing time and the ingredient types on the physical properties of milk chocolates containing soy milk powder and soy protein isolate. Characteristics of skimmed milk chocolate (SMC) and whole milk chocolate (WMC) were compared to soy milk chocolate and soy protein chocolate (SPC). Rheological data of chocolate products were fitted to Casson, Herschel-Bulkley, and Bingham models. The highest viscosity was observed for SPC samples, whereas yield stress was the highest for SMC samples after 2 hr of processing. The increase in milk and soy fats in the formulation softened the texture and decreased the whiteness index significantly (p < .05). PSD results show that SPC had the highest D90 (40.1 μm) and the lowest specific surface area (893 m 2 /kg) after 6 hr of processing. SPC samples had the narrowest particle size distribution observed by the span values. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that all the samples had the desired Form V, crystal form. The differential scanning calorimetry thermogram was used to determine phase transitions and melting behaviors. At the end of processing, melting enthalpies (ΔH melt ) were significantly lower (p < .05) in milk chocolates., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Purpose: Some agroindustrial by-products could be used as nutraceutical materials for small ruminants helping with their nutrition while controlling their gastrointestinal nematodes. This study evaluated the potential in vitro nutraceutical value of pod husks and leaves of three varieties of Theobroma cacao using two Haemonchus contortus isolates with different polyphenol susceptibility., Methods: Leaves and husks from three T. cacao varieties (AZT, CAL and CEY) were evaluated for their bromatological composition, in vitro dry matter digestibility and polyphenol content. Acetone:water extracts (70:30) of each plant variety were evaluated using the egg hatch and larval exsheathment inhibition tests, using two isolates (FESC and PARAISO) of H. contortus. Effective concentrations 50% (EC 50 ) were determined for both tests. The role of polyphenols was confirmed using polyvinylpolypyrrolidone. L 3 exposed to CAL leaf extract were submitted to transmission electron microscopy., Results: Both plant materials showed a good nutritional value to complement protein-rich diets for small ruminants. Extracts inhibited exsheathment of H. contortus L 3 more effectively than the egg hatching, and the leaf extracts were more active than husk extracts in the L 3 exsheathment inhibition. The FESC isolate was more sensitive to extracts. Polyphenols blocked exsheathment inhibition of leaf extracts. Structural damage was observed in the sheath and muscles of L 3 exposed to CAL leaf extracts., Conclusion: The two T. cacao materials tested showed their potential to be used as ruminant feeds. Extracts affected H. contortus by blocking L 3 exsheathment, particularly with the leaf extracts. The in vivo nutraceutical value should be confirmed in small ruminants., (© 2021. Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences.)

In this paper, we develop an epidemiological model with both environmental (primary infection from the environmental spores reservoir) and direct transmission (secondary infection from an infected host to a susceptible pod). This model simulates the spatiotemporal evolution of cocoa black pod disease caused by Phytophthora megakarya. Since reliable parameter estimation is a central issue for modeling realistic biological systems, we used a mechanistic-statistical approach to estimate model parameters from real observations of a specific cocoa plot. In addition, to refine numerical simulations of the pathosystem, data describing the shade intensity all over the plot were exploited and led to increased model predictions accuracy and also highlighted a higher number of infected pods located in areas of the plot with higher shading intensity. Recommendations in terms of promoting cocoa farming in systems with low shading intensity may be evident if these results are confirmed. Our results also highlight the importance of the environmental spore reservoir in black pod disease dynamics., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Society for Mathematical Biology.)

Alkalization, also known as "Dutching," is an optional, but very useful, step taken in the production chain of cocoa to darken its color, modify its taste, and increase natural cocoa solubility. Over the years, various attempts have been made to design new and more effective alkalization methods. Moreover, different authors have attempted to elucidate the impact of alkalization on the physicochemical, nutritional, functional, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of alkalized cocoa. The aim of this review is to provide a clear guide about not only the conditions that can be applied to alkalize cocoa, but also the reported effects of alkalization on the nutritional, functional, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of cocoa. The first part of this review describes different cocoa alkalization systems and how they can be tuned to induce specific changes in cocoa properties. The second part is a holistic analysis of the effects of the alkalization process on different cocoa features, performed by emphasizing the biochemistry behind all these transformations., (© 2020 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

A set of diseases caused by fungi and oomycetes are responsible for large losses in annual world cocoa production. Managing the impact caused by these diseases is very complex because a common solution has yet to be found for different pathogens. In this context, the systematic knowledge of Theobroma cacao L. pathogens' molecular characteristics may help researchers understand the possibilities and limitations of cocoa disease management strategies. This work systematically organized and summarized the main findings of omics studies of T. cacao eukaryotic pathogens, focusing on the plant–pathogen interaction and production dynamics. Using the PRISMA protocol and a semiautomated process, we selected papers from the Scopus and Web of Science databases and collected data from the selected papers. From the initial 3169 studies, 149 were selected. The first author's affiliations were mostly from two countries, Brazil (55%) and the USA (22%). The most frequent genera were Moniliophthora (105 studies), Phytophthora (59 studies) and Ceratocystis (13 studies). The systematic review database includes papers reporting the whole-genome sequence from six cocoa pathogens and evidence of some necrosis-inducing-like proteins, which are common in T. cacao pathogen genomes. This review contributes to the knowledge about T. cacao diseases, providing an integrated discussion of T. cacao pathogens' molecular characteristics, common mechanisms of pathogenicity and how this knowledge is produced worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cacao pod borer (CPB) (Conopomorpha cramerella) is an invasive insect that causes significant economic loss for cacao farmers. One of the most efficient ways to reduce CPB damage is to continuously monitor its presence. Currently, most automated technologies for continuous insect pest monitoring rely on an internet connection and a power source. However, most cacao plantations are remotely located and have limited access to internet and power sources; therefore, a simpler and readily available tool is necessary to enable continuous monitoring. This research proposes a mobile application developed for rapid and on-site counting of CPBs on sticky paper traps. A CPB counting algorithm was developed and optimized to enable on-device computations despite memory constraints and limited capacity of low-end mobile phones. The proposed algorithm has an F1-score of 0.88, with no significant difference from expert counts (R2 = 0.97, p-value = 0.55, α = 0.05). The mobile application can be used to provide the required information for pest control methods on-demand and is also accessible for low-income farms. This is one of the first few works on enabling on-device processing for insect pest monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cacao production is mostly concentrated in Africa, with this continent exporting an impressive 68.4 % of the world's cacao. The increasing demand for cacao from the Global North has already led to massive deforestation in Ghana and Ivory Coast and cacao-driven deforestation is likely to continue changing landscapes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Bats are affected by these landscape changes due to their dependence on multiple resources spread at a large spatial scale. Although bats can save cacao farmers millions of euros through pest suppression, no study has investigated how landscape context affects bat communities in African cacao plantations. Here for the first time, we studied how abundance and richness of insectivorous, frugivorous and nectarivorous bats within cacao landscapes could be affected by cover type and the distance between these habitats and each cacao plantation. We sampled bats using mist-nets in 38 cacao plantations spread throughout southern Cameroon from 2017 to 2020. We found that guilds responded differently to the distance and amount of cover of each of the land cover types, with the scale of response being habitat-dependent. Overall, insectivorous bats were associated positively with high cover of natural habitats (e.g., tree cover, rangeland, and flooded vegetation), and negatively with nearby anthropogenic disturbance (e.g., logging and intensive agriculture). Frugivorous and nectarivorous bats were associated to the presence of natural habitats with water and of nearby anthropogenic habitats (e.g., human settlements, community forests and unpaved roads), probably due to the presence of more fruiting and flowering trees. Considering the associations found between the landscape metrics and bats, we propose three different conceptual designs to manage cacao landscapes: one for insectivores, one for frugivores/nectarivores and a third design that maximises the trade-offs between these three guilds. By safeguarding the diversity of these three guilds farmers can maintain pest suppression services within their plantations and guarantee healthy and long-lasting sustainable cacao landscapes through bats' pollination and seed dispersal., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The demand for high-quality cocoa beans has increased in line with the growing global demand for chocolate. The chemical composition of cocoa beans can vary according to their origin and growing conditions. In this context, this study evaluated the influence of the cultivar type (CCN51 and PS1319) and the cocoa management system (cabruca and full sun) on the chemical composition of unfermented cocoa kernels. The cultivation system influenced the fatty acid composition of cocoa kernels, with higher values of linoleic acid associated with the full sun system, although higher total lipid contents were obtained in the cabruca system. The cultivar influenced the content of saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), total unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) and the saturated/unsaturated ratio (S/U). Lower levels of total phenolic compounds, total anthocyanins and antioxidant properties were found in the full sun system, especially in the PS1319 cultivar. Higher levels of epicatechin and catechin were found in the cocoa kernel of the CCN51 cultivar. Theobromine and caffeine were not influenced by the treatments. Neither the PCA of total lipids and fatty acids, nor the PCA of antioxidant properties, phenolic compounds and methylxanthines indicated an isolated clustering between cultivar and cultivation system. The results showed that the factors under study influenced the chemical composition of the unfermented cocoa kernel. Furthermore, they indicated that the migration from traditional systems, such as cabruca, to full sun systems can reduce the total lipids and phenolic compounds content of the cocoa beans. When planning new plantations, the choice of genetic material should also be carefully considered to produce higher-quality cocoa butter and beans with a higher phenolic compound content., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study optimized subcritical water extraction (SWE) conditions to maximize pectin yield from cocoa pod husk (CPH) and compared the characteristics of CPH pectin extracted through SWE with those of CPH pectin obtained through conventional extraction (CE) with citric acid. The Box-Behnken experimental design was employed to optimize SWE and examine the influence of process parameters, including temperature (100 °C-120 °C), extraction time (10-30 min), and solid:liquid ratio (SLR) (1:30-2:30 g/mL), on pectin yield. The maximum pectin yield of 6.58% was obtained under the optimal extraction conditions of 120 °C for 10 min with 1:15 g/mL SLR and closely corresponded with the predicted value of 7.29%. Compared with CE, SWE generated a higher yield and resulted in a higher degree of esterification, methoxyl content, and anhydrouronic acid value but a lower equivalent weight. The extracted pectin was pure, had low-methoxyl content, and similar melting and degradation temperatures., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) shell, the main by-product of cocoa industry, is associated with the regulation of several biomarkers of metabolic syndrome. However, there is little information about the digestion effect on the physiological properties of cocoa shell. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a standardized in vitro digestion protocol on the hypolipidemic capacity of two cocoa shell ingredients, a flour (CSF) and an aqueous extract (CSE), through the evaluation of their in vitro hypolipidemic properties and lipid-lowering effects in HepG2 cells. CSF and CSE digested fractions increased their capacity to bind primary bile acids (16-88 %) and inhibit lipase activity (41-100 %), while their ability to bind secondary bile acids (33-42 %) was maintained. Likewise, the digested fractions of cocoa shell ingredients reduced the solubility of the cholesterol micelles (35-97 %) and inhibited the hydroxymethylglutaryl-Co-enzyme A reductase (HMGCR) activity (18-100 %). The hypolipidemic properties of non-digested fractions further enhanced the CSF potential to decrease lipid absorption. Cocoa shell ingredients demonstrated lipid-lowering properties after simulated digestion by effectively reducing the accumulation of intracellular lipids (78-122 %), triacylglycerides (60-90 %), and cholesterol (100 %) induced by palmitic acid in hepatic cells. These results were confirmed by their ability to stimulate lipolysis, reducing the increase in lipase activity (28-78 %) and increasing glycerol release (27-80 %) with respect to palmitic acid treated cells, and inhibiting HMGCR activity. Phenolic compounds and dietary fiber are significantly associated to the observed hypolipidemic effects of cocoa shell ingredients. These findings demonstrated the potential efficacy of CSF and CSE in reducing lipid absorption and reversing its hepatic accumulation. Hence, these cocoa shell ingredients might prevent diseases related to lipid accumulation by improving overall health status., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Fine-flavored chocolates are distinguished by their complex and distinct flavor profiles, which includes notes such as floral, fruity, nutty, and spicy. This study sought to modulate the flavor development of chocolates by establishing controlled processing conditions during the transformation from seed to bean in a laboratory setting, to produce superior quality chocolates. Our experimental setup comprised two varying temperature levels (30 °C and 45 °C) and three organic acids (OAs: acetic, lactic, and citric acids) at concentrations of 1-30 g/L to adjust the pH of the transformation system. Our study focused on how these conditions affect the development of distinct flavor profiles in chocolate bars, emphasizing the enhancement of fine-flavor notes. Flavor development was monitored through the untargeted metabolomics of cocoa beans and analyzing the volatile compounds and sensory profiles of the resultant chocolates. This study revealed that OA concentration markedly influenced metabolite formation, particularly affecting peptides, volatile organic compounds, and flavor notes. Chocolates derived from seeds processed with 30 g/L acid solutions demonstrated enhanced fruitiness and acidity, whereas those processed with 1 g/L acid solutions exhibited pronounced nuttiness and cocoa taste attributes but lower acidity. These findings underscore the significance of meticulously managing flavor development processes to produce fine-flavored chocolates with unique aromatic profiles. Crucially, variables in the controlling process, such as temperature and pH, are essential for fine-tuning flavor attributes, enabling the correlation and identification of key quality biomarkers to elucidate flavor development pathways., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Roasted carob pulp (Ceratonia siliqua) is a cocoa substitute known for its faint cocoa-like resemblance. However, the cocoa-carob flavour gap remains poorly uncharacterised. This study aimed to elucidate the sensory and molecular aspects of this flavour gap in a 70 % dark chocolate formulation via a two-pronged instrumental-sensorial approach. Descriptive Sensory Analysis (DSA) revealed carob-based chocolate was significantly sweeter, less sour and astringent than conventional dark chocolate due to the high total sugar content (45-50 % DM; HPLC/RID), low titratable acidity and tannin content, respectively. As for aroma, a distinct, albeit weak, cocoa-like aroma was present in carob-based chocolate. HS-SPME-GC-MS/FID revealed this was attributed to branched-chain Strecker aldehyde generation during roasting (2-methylbutanal, 1.17 μg/g; 3-methylbutanal, 2.89 μg/g). Notably, there was a distinct lack of alkylpyrazines. Additionally, a distinct woody, tree bark-like odour was uniquely associated with carob-based chocolates. This was due to furfural generation during roasting (2.33 μg/g). In conclusion, the aroma and taste gap between cocoa and carob was successfully characterised in this study. These findings substantiate the potential of carob application in chocolate manufacturing, thus empowering confectioners to make evidence-based decisions when evaluating cocoa substitutes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In recent years, there has been a growing demand for plant-based products from omnivorous consumers seeking a healthier and more sustainable diet, but sensory issues can still impact the consumption experience. Since food denomination and labeling can play a crucial role in consumer expectation and perception, investigating these interactions is essential. Thus, this study investigated the influence of plant-based product denominations on consumer expectations and sensory perceptions. Using descriptive and affective sensory analysis methods, the response of 300 untrained consumers to three variations of product denomination for the same sample of vegan chocolate dessert was evaluated: Vegan Chocolate Mousse (VCM), Chocolate Mousse (CM), and Creamy Coconut Dessert with Cacao (CCDC). The results indicated that the attributes expected by consumers for each denomination did not always correspond to the actual perceptions, particularly in terms of taste and aroma. The attributes highlighted in the consumption expectation varied among the sales denominations, although the perceived attributes did not significantly differ between the names. Furthermore, the addition of the term "vegan" in the name contributed to a greater correspondence between expectation and consumption reality, although the acceptance score did not significantly differ between the denominations. It was also noted that the term "mousse" did not adequately reflect the texture of the products, prompting consumers to suggest replacing the term with "cream." The study reinforces the importance of transparent and informative labeling strategies to promote the acceptance of plant-based foods, thereby encouraging increased consumption frequency of plant-based analogs by non-restricted diet consumers, resulting in a better consumption experience., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Proanthocyanidins (OPACs) are the second largest class of plant metabolites after lignans. Although knowledge of their 3D conformations would add greatly to our understanding of their biological properties, very little has been published on the conformations of OPACs with a degree of polymerization (DP) above 4. We investigated the conformations of the linear epicatechin oligomers, prominent representatives of OPACs prevalent in apples and cocoa, where the epicatechin units are interconnected through the 4β-8 bonds. For DP-2 to DP-10 oligomers, conformational preferences reflected in the arrangement of consecutive flavan-3-ol units, are characterized by the φ torsion. For dimers, there are two energy wells corresponding to two preferred φ torsions, designated as compact and extended form. This behaviour is preserved in OPACs with higher DPs, but the most energetically favoured conformations are a combination of both, with compact-only or extended-only conformations being very unlikely. Thus, oligomers with DP ≥ 7 tend to assume an overall conformation approximating a spherical shape. This shape has a significant influence on the polarity of the OPAC oligomers expressed as 3D polar surface area, calculated using Spartan software for geometry-optimized 3D models, and possibly on other physicochemical properties. The results of polarity calculations provide a molecular-level rationale for the polarity-based chromatographic separation of the cocoa B-type procyanidins with DP range 4 to 10. In our experiments, using centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) (a solvent system consisting of EtOAc-EtOH-water (6:1:5) v/v/v with aqueous phase stationary and upper phase mobile) we found that an enriched mixture of proanthocyanidins eluted first DP-1 (epicatechin) followed by consecutive elution of the DP-2 to DP-10 in the linear 4β-8 form. We demonstrated that such separation would not be possible if compact-only or extended-only conformations were present in solution. However, for the energy-favoured, spherically shaped conformations, the observed CPC elution order is fully justified., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Traditional cocoa bean fermentation is a spontaneous process and can result in heterogeneous sensory quality. For this reason, yeast-integrated starter cultures may be an option for creating consistent organoleptic profiles. This study proposes the mixture of Hanseniaspora opuntiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus (from non-cocoa fermentation) as starter culture candidates. The microorganisms and volatile compounds were analyzed during the cocoa fermentation process, and the most abundant were correlated with predominant microorganisms. Results showed that Kluyveromyces marxianus, isolated from mezcal fermentation, was identified as the dominant yeast by high-throughput DNA sequencing. A total of 63 volatile compounds identified by HS-SPME-GC-MS were correlated with the more abundant bacteria and yeast using Principal Component Analysis and Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering. This study demonstrates that yeasts from other fermentative processes can be used as starter cultures in cocoa fermentation and lead to the formation of more aromatic esters, decrease the acetic acid content., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This paper reports a comprehensive study of Theobroma cacao pericarp (TCP) residues, which has been prepared, characterized, and tested as an inexpensive and efficient biosorbent of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. The maximum adsorption capacity of TCP obtained at optimal conditions (pH = 2, dose = 0.5 g L -1 , C 0  = 100 mg L -1 ) was q max  = 48.5 mg g -1 , which is one of the highest values reported by the literature. Structural and morphological characterization has been performed by FTIR, SEM/EDX, and pH PZC measurements. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of O-H, -NH, -NH 2 , C = H, C = O, C = C, C-O, and C-C functional groups that would be involved in the Cr(VI) biosorption processes. The experimental equilibrium data of biosorption process were successfully fitted to non-linear Langmuir (R 2  = 0.95, χ 2  = 11.0), Freundlich (R 2  = 0.93, χ 2  = 14.8), and Temkin (R 2  = 0.93, χ 2  = 14.7) isotherm models. Kinetics experimental data were well adjustment to non-linear pseudo-2nd (R 2  = 0.99, χ 2  = 2.08)- and pseudo-1st-order kinetic models (R 2  = 0.98, χ 2  = 2.25) and also to intra-particle Weber-Morris (R 2  = 0.98) and liquid film diffusion (R 2  = 0.99) models. These results indicate that Cr(VI) biosorption on heterogeneous surfaces as well as on monolayers of TCP would be a complex process controlled by chemisorption and physisorption mechanisms. The thermodynamic results indicate that the Cr(VI) biosorption on TCP is a feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic process. TCP can be regenerated with NaOH and reused up to 3 times., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Salmonella in raw cocoa beans (n = 870) from main sourcing areas over nine months was analyzed. It was detected in 71 (ca. 8.2%) samples, with a contamination level of 0.3-46 MPN/g except for one sample (4.1 × 10 4 CFU/g). Using prevalence and concentration data as input, the impact of thermal treatment in cocoa processing on the risk estimate of acquiring salmonellosis by a random Belgian chocolate consumer was calculated by a quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) approach. A modular process risk model from raw cocoa beans to cocoa liquor up to a hypothetical final product (70-90% dark chocolate tablet) was set up to understand changes in Salmonella concentrations following the production process. Different thermal treatments during bean or nib steam, nib roasting, or liquor sterilization (achieving a 0-6 log reduction of Salmonella) were simulated. Based on the generic FAO/WHO Salmonella dose-response model and the chocolate consumption data in Belgium, salmonellosis risk per serving and cases per year at population level were estimated. When a 5 log reduction of Salmonella was achieved, the estimated mean risk per serving was 3.35 × 10 -8 (95% CI: 3.27 × 10 -10 -1.59 × 10 -7 ), and estimated salmonellosis cases per year (11.7 million population) was 88 (95% CI: <1-418). The estimated mean risk per serving was 3.35 × 10 -9 (95% CI: 3.27 × 10 -11 -1.59 × 10 -8 ), and the estimated salmonellosis cases per year was 9 (95% CI: <1-42), for a 6 log reduction. The current QMRA model solely considered Salmonella reduction in a single-step thermal treatment in the cocoa process. Inactivation obtained during other process steps (e.g. grinding) might occur but was not considered. As the purpose was to use QMRA as a tool to evaluate the log reduction in the cocoa processing, no postcontamination from the processing environment and ingredients was included. A minimum of 5 log reduction of Salmonella in the single-step thermal treatment of cocoa process was considered to be adequate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is an analytical technique that offers a real advantage over laboratory analysis in the food industry due to its low operating costs, rapid analysis, and non-destructive sampling technique. Numerous studies have shown the relevance of NIR spectra analysis for assessing certain food properties with the right calibration. This makes it useful in quality control and in the continuous monitoring of food processing. However, the NIR calibration process is difficult and time-consuming. Analysis methods and techniques vary according to the configuration of the NIR instrument, the sample to be analyzed and the attribute that is to be predicted. This makes calibration a challenge for many manufacturers. This paper aims to provide a data-driven methodology for developing a decision support tool based on the smart selection of NIRS wavelength to assess various food properties. The decision support tool based on the methodology has been evaluated on samples of cocoa beans, grains of wheat and mangoes. Promising results were obtained for each of the selected models for the moisture and fat content of cocoa beans (R 2 cv: 0.90, R 2 test: 0.93, RMSEP: 0.354%; R 2 cv: 0.73, R 2 test: 0.79, RMSEP: 0.913%), acidity and vitamin C content of mangoes (R 2 cv: 0.93, R 2 test: 0.97, RMSEP: 17.40%; R 2 cv: 0.66, R 2 test: 0.46, RMSEP: 0.848%), and protein content of wheat-DS2 (R 2 cv: 0.90, R 2 test:0.92, RMSEP: 0.490%) respectively. Moreover, the proposed approach allows results to be obtained that are better than benchmarks for the moisture and protein content of wheat-DS1 (R 2 cv: 0.90, R 2 test: 94, RMSEP: 0.337%; R 2 cv: 0.99, R 2 test: 0.99, RMSEP: 0.177%), respectively. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This research introduces a practical tool aimed at determining the quality of food by identifying specific light wavelengths. However, it is important to acknowledge potential challenges, such as overfitting. Before implementation, it is crucial for further research to address and mitigate the issues to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the solution. If successfully applied, this tool could significantly enhance the accuracy of near-infrared spectroscopy in assessing food quality attributes. This advancement would provide invaluable support for decision-making in industries involved in food production, ultimately leading to better overall product quality for consumers., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Food Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Institute of Food Technologists.)

Herein, two "orthogonal" characteristics of moisture damaged cacao beans (temporally dependent molding kinetics versus the time-independent geographical region of origin) are simultaneously analyzed in a comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) dataset using tile-based Fisher ratio (F-ratio) analysis. Cacao beans from six geographical regions were analyzed once a day for six days following the initiation of moisture damage to trigger the molding process. Thus, there are two "extremes" to the experimental sample class design: six time points for the molding kinetics versus the six geographical regions of origin, resulting in a 6 × 6 element signal array referred to as a composite chemical fingerprint (CCF) for each analyte. Usually, this study would involve initial generation of two separate hit lists using F-ratio analysis, one hit list from inputting the data with the six time point classes, then another hit list from inputting the dataset from the perspective of geographic region of origin. However, analysis of two separate hit lists with the intent to distill them down to one hit list is extremely time-consuming and fraught with shortcomings due to the challenges associated with attempting to match analytes across two hit lists. To address this challenge, tile-based F-ratio analysis is "orthogonally applied" to each analyte CCF to simultaneously determine two F-ratios at the chromatographic 2D location (F-ratio kinetic and F-ratio region ) for each hit, by ranking a single hit list using the higher of the two F-ratios resulting in the discovery of 591 analytes. Further, using a pseudo-null distribution approach, at the 99.9% threshold over 400 analytes were deemed suitable for PCA classification. Using a more stringent 99.999% threshold, over 100 analytes were explored more deeply using PARAFAC to provide a purified mass spectrum., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The food industry is increasingly striving to produce probiotics-based food and beverages using sustainable processes. Therefore, the use of by-products in product development has been investigated by several authors. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of cocoa bean shell infusion in the production of kombucha through microbiological and genetic characterization. Three beverage formulations were prepared, one based on black tea (KBT), one based on cocoa bean shell infusion (KCS) and one containing 50 % black tea and 50 % cocoa shell infusion (KBL). The infusions were prepared with water, filtered, and sucrose was added. They were then homogenized and a portion of finished kombucha and SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) were added. Fermentation took place for 13 days and aliquots were collected every three days for physicochemical and microbial count analyses. Samples from the last day of fermentation were sent for DNA sequencing, extraction and quantification. The results were subjected to analysis of variance and compared by using Tukey's test (p < 0.05). The results show that there was a significant decrease in pH over time in all samples, while the titratable acidity increased, indicating an acidification of the beverage due to the production of organic acids. There was an increase in lactic acid bacterial colonies in all the formulations, which have a probiotic nature and are not always found in this type of beverage. Regarding the taxonomic classification of the samples, microorganisms of the kingdoms Fungi and Bacteria, of the families Saccharomycetaceae and Acetobacteraceae, were found in KBT, KCS and KBL, but with different microbiological compositions, with different amounts of yeasts and bacteria. Therefore, the use of by-products such as cocoa bean shell in the production of kombucha can contribute to the reduction of waste in the food industry and, at the same time, accelerate fermentation increasing the presence of lactic acid bacteria when compared to black tea., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Climate change is the greatest challenge to developing countries, especially where rain-fed agriculture is the main source of livelihood and revenue. Agroforestry provides an opportunity for farmers to adapt and reduce the carbon footprint. We conducted an exploratory review on the role of cocoa agroforestry for climate change mitigation and adaptation of smallholders by applying combinations of keywords that include climate change, agroforestry, stakeholders, Paris agreement, INDCs/NDCs, mitigation and adaptation. The paper combined data sources covering reports on past and on-going cocoa sustainability projects and policy interventions in Ghana as well as the output of exploratory review that utilized relevant key words to identify appropriate literature for investigation and analysis. We established that, there is low adoption of pro-environmental interventions introduced by both Government and NGOs in the cocoa sector. In addition, there is a shift in cocoa farming from expansion into forest areas to adoption of intensive cocoa monoculture. Despite the importance of shaded trees in cocoa production such as the benefits gained from agroforestry system, cocoa farmers have low appreciation of their environmental, soil, nutrients and other ecological benefits. We recommend that cocoa farmers should be involved in the formulation and implementation of pro-environmental interventions that affect their cocoa production practices. This will make farmers take ownership of the innovation instead of it being introduced to them. In addition, since our review of the literature established that the surge in yield is the impetus for cocoa monoculture adoption, there is the need to introduce cocoa varieties with higher yields under agroforestry system. Finally, there should be monetary valuation of shade trees used in cocoa agroforestry systems for payment to farmers to help improve agroforestry adoption. We argue that cocoa agroforestry though considered an old practice, remains one of the most appropriate land-use systems that is climate-smart with great potential to contribute to sustainable cocoa production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cacao pod husk (shell), serves as the tough outer layer of the cacao pod, and this by-product of cacao processing is typically disposed of once the cacao beans have been removed. They contain a variety of compounds and can be repurposed to reduce waste and generate added value. This article offers an extensive and in-depth analysis of the possibility of utilizing cacao pod husk (CPH) as an environmentally friendly packaging material. It meticulously investigates the composition, properties, pre-treatment and extraction methods, and versatile uses of CPH. Particularly, this paper extensively examines the physical and barrier properties that are crucial for packaging, highlighting attributes like durability, pliability, and resistance to moisture, and focuses on how these properties can effectively maintain product freshness and enhance the suitability of CPH for different food items. In addition, the article provides a thorough examination of the various ways in which CPH can be utilized, such as in the creation of antimicrobial coatings, the production of paper that can naturally decompose, and its contribution to the advancement of composite materials, delving into the assessment of its environmental impact and presents optimistic prospects for the future of this eco-friendly packaging alternative. This comprehensive and enlightening review is poised to be an invaluable resource for researchers, professionals in the industry, and policymakers who are interested in harnessing the potential of CPH for sustainable packaging, which proposes a wealth of knowledge and practical insights for those seeking environmentally friendly packaging solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The high quality and unique flavor and aroma of bean-to-bar chocolates have resulted in an increase in the consumption of these products. Nevertheless, cocoa beans may present inorganic contaminants from environmental and anthropogenic sources which can contribute to contamination of the chocolates, despite the fewer processing steps and few ingredients used in bean-to-bar manufacturing process compared to the industrial one. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the content of trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se) in bean-to-bar chocolates and traceable cocoa beans from Brazil and Ecuador., Methods: Bean-to-bar chocolate samples were acquired in Brazil (n=65) and Ecuador (n=10), considering the main products available: white, milk, semisweet and dark chocolate. Cocoa samples from dedicated farms (n=23) were analyzed for trace elements and inorganic contaminants regulated by Brazil and European agencies. Samples were mineralized using acid digestion (nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide) in a closed microwave-assisted system. Quantification of trace elements was performed using Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP OES) in optimized conditions. The analytical control was performed with certified reference materials (ERM BD512 - Dark Chocolate, Tort-2 and Tort-3 - Lobster Hepatopancreas and SRM 1547 - Peach leaves) and recoveries ranged between 84% and 105% for all elements., Results: The trace element levels in the bean-to-bar chocolates were (mg/kg): As (<0.022-0.023), Cd (<0.002-0.74), Cu (0.11-21.2), Co (<0.003-1.88), Hg (<0.010-<0.010), Pb (<0.007-0.22), and Se (<0.029-0.35). The exposure assessment from inorganic contaminants in chocolates revealed up to 93% of provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI) for Cd and 123% of tolerable upper intake level (UL) for Co for children. Inorganic contaminants were also analyzed in cocoa beans from dedicated farms and Cd and Pb levels were found above the thresholds established by Brazil health agency., Conclusion: The results observed for both bean-to-bar chocolates and raw materials (cocoa beans from dedicated farms) indicated a need for monitoring these trace elements., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The presence of contaminants in cacao-derived products, especially in chocolates, has raised concerns regarding food safety and human health. The study assessed the concentration variation of 16 elements in 155 chocolate samples from the US market by cacao content and country of geographic origin. The study further examined the potential health risks posed by toxic metals and determined the contribution of essential elements to the Daily Recommended Intake (DRI), estimated based on an ounce (∼28.4 g) of daily chocolate consumption. Dark chocolates with ≥50 % cacao exhibited consecutively increasing mean levels from 1.2 to 391 µg/kg for U, Tl, Th, As, Pb, Se, Cd, and Co. Similarly, Ni, Sr, Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe, Ca, and Mg had mean concentrations from 4.0 to 1890 mg/kg. Dark chocolates sourced from Central and South America exhibited the highest mean levels of Cd, and South America samples also contained elevated Pb, whereas those from West Africa and Asia had low Cd and Pb, respectively. Cacao contents showed increasingly strong association with Cd, Co, Mn, Sr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Mg (r = 0.60-0.84), and moderately with Se, Fe, As, and Tl (r = 0.35-0.49), indicating these elements are primarily derived from cacao beans. Weak association of cacao contents with Pb, Th, and U levels (r < 0.25), indicates post-harvest contaminations. Hazard Quotient (HQ) > 1 was found only for Cd in 4 dark chocolates, and Hazard Index (HI) > 1 for cumulative risk of Cd, Pb, Ni, As, and U was found in 33 dark chocolates, indicating potential non-carcinogenic risks for 15 kg children but none for 70 kg adults. Dark chocolate also substantially contributed to 47-95 % of the DRI of Cu for children and 50 % for adults. Dark chocolates also provided notable Fe, Mn, Mg, and Zn contributions to the DRI. These essential elements are recognized to reduce the bioavailability of toxic metals such as Cd, Pb, or Ni, thereby potentially lowering associated health risks. This study informs consumers, food industries, and regulatory agencies to target cacao origins or chocolate brands with lower toxic metal contents for food safety and minimizing adverse health effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Cocoa pod husk (CPH) and cocoa bean shell (CBS) are by-products obtained during pre-processing and processing of cocoa beans. Several bioactive compounds have been identified in these by-products that can be used for commercial applications as a way to promote the circular economy. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to recover bioactive compounds from CPH and CBS by sonoextraction process, to determine the type, content, and antioxidant activity in optimized extracts. To achieve our purpose, an optimization strategy using Box-Behnken Design coupled response surface methodology (MRS) was applied. The extraction conditions were optimized. The results obtained for CBS were: TPC (193 mg GAE/g), TEAC (1.02 mmol TE/g), FRAP (1.02 mmol FeSO4/g) and ORAC (2.6 mmol TE/g), while for CPH, the reported values were: TPC (48 mg GAE/g), TEAC (0.30 mmol TE/g), FRAP (0.35 mmol FeSO 4 /g) and ORAC (0.43 mmol TE/g) under the optimized conditions: Time (X A ): 15 min, Amplitude (X B ): 80 %, Ethanol (X C ): 50 %. The LC-ESI-qTOF-MS analysis results allowed the identification of 79 compounds, of which 39 represent the CBS extract, while 40 compounds were identified in CPH extract. To conclude, sonotrode based extraction could be considered as an efficient and fast alternative for the recovery of bioactive substances from CBS and CPH., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An environmentally friendly method for the release of cocoa bean shell (CBS) extracts is proposed in this paper. This work aims to investigate the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment on subsequent solid-liquid extraction (SLE) of metabolites with choline chloride-lactic acid natural deep eutectic solvent (NaDES) and bioactivity of cocoa bean shell (CBS) extract. Two different media for PEF application were evaluated: water and chlorine chloride-lactic acid. Total polyphenols (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC), individual major compounds, and antioxidant and antibacterial activity of CBS extracts were assessed. The performance of PEF-assisted extraction was compared with SLE and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). The proposed method improved the release of TPC up to 45% and TFC up to 48% compared with the conventional extraction. The CBS extract showed medium growth inhibition of Escherichia coli and high growth inhibition of Salmonella sp, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, an extract with enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial properties was obtained., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The complex crystal structure of coca butter (CB) is responsible for the unique melting behavior, surface gloss, and mechanical properties of chocolate. While most studies concentrated on the crystalline state of CB, few studied the isotropic liquid state, which has a major impact on the crystallization process and the characteristics of the resulting crystals. In this study, the molecular organizations of the main CB triacylglycerols (TAGs; 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol, palmitoyl-oleoyl-stearoylglycerol, POS, and 1,3-distearoyl-2-oleoylglycerol) were studied. The findings revealed the tunning-fork (Tf) conformation, commonly found in the crystalline state, is the least abundant in the isotropic liquid state of CB and pure TAGs. Notably, POS was found to interact with itself in CB, while its molecules with Tf conformation, although in small amounts in the mixture, tend to pair with each other at lower temperatures. These results highlight the significance of POS in CB crystallization and provide insights for developing CB alternatives., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Previous metagenomic analyses have suggested that lactobacilli present potential for Quorum Sensing (QS) in cocoa fermentation, and in the present research, laboratory scale fermentations were carried out to monitor the expression of luxS, a universal marker of QS. For that, 96 h-fermentations were studied, as follows: F0 (non inoculated control), F1 (inoculated with yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria), F2 (inoculated with yeasts and acetic acid bacteria), F3 (inoculated with yeasts only). The parameters evaluated were: plate counting, quantification of key enzymes and analysis of volatile organic compounds associated with key sensory descriptors, using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Furthermore, QS was estimated by the quantification of the expression of luxS genes by Reverse Transcriptase Real-Time PCR. The results demonstrated that microbial succession occurred in pilot scale fermentations, but no statistical differences for microbial enumeration and α-diversity index were observed among experiments and control. Moreover, it was not possible to make conclusive correlations of enzymatic profile and fermenting microbiota, likely due to the intrinsic activity of plant hydrolases. Regarding to the expression of luxS genes, in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum they were active along the fermentation, but for Limosilactobacillus fermentum, luxS was expressed only at early and middle phases. Correlation analysis of luxS expression and production of volatile metabolites evidenced a possible negative association of Lp. Plantarum with fermentation quality. In conclusion, these data corroborate former shotgun metagenomic analysis by demonstrating the expression of luxS by lactobacilli in pilot scale cocoa fermentation and evidence Lp. Plantarum is the main lactic acid bacteria related to its expression., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass into novel bioproducts is crucial for sustainable biorefineries, providing an integrated solution for circular economy objectives. The current study investigated a novel microwave-assisted acidic deep eutectic solvent (DES) pretreatment of waste cocoa pod husk (CPH) biomass to extract xylooligosaccharides (XOS). The sequential DES (choline chloride/citric acid, molar ratio 1:1) and microwave (450W) pretreatment of CPH biomass was effective in 67.3% xylan removal with a 52% XOS yield from total xylan. Among different XOS of varying degrees of polymerization, a higher xylobiose content corresponding to 69.3% of the total XOS (68.22 mg/g CPH) from liquid fraction was observed. Enzymatic hydrolysis of residual xylan from pretreated CPH biomass with low commercial xylanase (10 IU/g) concentration yielded 24.2% XOS. The MW-ChCl/citric acid synergistic pretreatment approach holds great promise for developing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method contributing to the sustainable production of XOS from agricultural waste streams., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

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Purpose: This paper examines the potential of "biomarkers" to provide immutable identification for food products (chocolate), providing traceability and visibility in the supply chain from retail product back to farm. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses qualitative data collection, including fieldwork at cocoa farms and chocolate manufacturers in Ecuador and the Netherlands and semi-structured interviews with industry professionals to identify challenges and create a supply chain map from cocoa plant to retailer, validated by area experts. A library of biomarkers is created using DNA collected from fieldwork and the International Cocoa Quarantine Centre, holders of cocoa varieties from known locations around the world. Matching sample biomarkers with those in the library enables identification of origins of cocoa used in a product, even when it comes from multiple different sources and has been processed. Findings: Supply chain mapping and interviews identify areas of the cocoa supply chain that lack the visibility required for management to guarantee sustainability and quality. A decoupling point, where smaller farms/traders' goods are combined to create larger economic units, obscures product origins and limits visibility. These factors underpin a potential boundary condition to institutional theory in the industry's fatalism to environmental and human abuses in the face of rising institutional pressures. Biomarkers reliably identify product origin, including specific farms and (fermentation) processing locations, providing visibility and facilitating control and trust when purchasing cocoa. Research limitations/implications: The biomarker "meta-barcoding" of cocoa beans used in chocolate manufacturing accurately identifies the farm, production facility or cooperative, where a cocoa product came from. A controlled data set of biomarkers of registered locations is required for audit to link chocolate products to origin. Practical implications: Where biomarkers can be produced from organic products, they offer a method for closing visibility gaps, enabling responsible sourcing. Labels (QR codes, barcodes, etc.) can be swapped and products tampered with, but biological markers reduce reliance on physical tags, diminishing the potential for fraud. Biomarkers identify product composition, pinpointing specific farm(s) of origin for cocoa in chocolate, allowing targeted audits of suppliers and identifying if cocoa of unknown origin is present. Labour and environmental abuses exist in many supply chains and enabling upstream visibility may help firms address these challenges. Social implications: By describing a method for firms in cocoa supply chains to scientifically track their cocoa back to the farm level, the research shows that organizations can conduct social audits for child labour and environmental abuses at specific farms proven to be in their supply chains. This provides a method for delivering supply chain visibility (SCV) for firms serious about tackling such problems. Originality/value: This paper provides one of the very first examples of biomarkers for agricultural SCV. An in-depth study of stakeholders from the cocoa and chocolate industry elucidates problematic areas in cocoa supply chains. Biomarkers provide a unique biological product identifier. Biomarkers can support efforts to address environmental and social sustainability issues such as child labour, modern slavery and deforestation by providing visibility into previously hidden areas of the supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]