Cocoa Beans Research Articles

Classification of Cocoa Beans by Analyzing Spectral Measurements Using Machine Learning and Genetic Algorithm.

The quality of cocoa beans is crucial in influencing the taste, aroma, and texture of chocolate and consumer satisfaction. High-quality cocoa beans are valued on the international market, benefiting Ivorian producers. Our study uses advanced techniques to evaluate and classify cocoa beans by analyzing spectral measurements, integrating machine learning algorithms, and optimizing parameters through genetic algorithms. The results highlight the critical importance of parameter optimization for optimal performance. Logistic regression, support vector machines (SVM), and random forest algorithms demonstrate a consistent performance. XGBoost shows improvements in the second generation, followed by a slight decrease in the fifth. On the other hand, the performance of AdaBoost is not satisfactory in generations two and five. The results are presented on three levels: first, using all parameters reveals that logistic regression obtains the best performance with a precision of 83.78%. Then, the results of the parameters selected in the second generation still show the logistic regression with the best precision of 84.71%. Finally, the results of the parameters chosen in the second generation place random forest in the lead with a score of 74.12%.

Test For Germination of Cocoa Seeds (Theobroma cacao L.) Using Different Storage Lengths

Cocoa is one of the plantation commodities that has quite an important role in Indonesia's economic activities. Based on data from the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) in 2021 and 2022, Indonesia is ranked 7th as the largest cocoa-producing country in the world. Apart from increasingly open export opportunities, the domestic cocoa bean market is still quite large. One of the problems in preparing high-quality seeds is seed storage time. Seeds that are stored will experience deterioration or decline in quality with signs of decreased quality, low viability and vigor, poor planting, and reduced yields. This research aims to determine the extent to which cocoa seeds are able to germinate well if stored for a certain time so that they can become a benchmark for seed users for sowing. The research approach was carried out qualitatively using mathematical methods. Data is analyzed and displayed in table form. Treatment 0 seeds were planted immediately. Treatment 1 seed was stored for 1 week, treatment 2 seeds were stored for 2 weeks, treatment 3 seeds were stored for 3 weeks, and treatment 4 seeds were stored for 4 weeks. The research results on the germination capacity of cocoa seeds with different storage periods showed that the best treatment was for seeds planted directly in the nursery, with water content 35.7%, germination time 12.3 days, germination capacity of 97.56%.

Derived Environmental Impacts of Organic Fairtrade Cocoa (Peru) Compared to Its Conventional Equivalent (Ivory Coast) through Life-Cycle Assessment in the Basque Country

There is a global need to create an environmentally low-impact and socially fair international food and agriculture system. Specifically, in the case of chocolate, since it is difficult to produce locally in consumer countries, the socio-economic impact and benefits of its production have long been unfairly distributed. This research analyses the differences between the global environmental impacts of Fairtrade-certified and organically produced cocoa (from Peru), sold in the form of a chocolate bar purchased in the Basque Country (Europe), and the respective average conventional product made with non-organic cocoa beans (from Ivory Coast). Life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was used to calculate five impact categories, while ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint Hierarchist was used to analyse the global warming potential (GWP), terrestrial ecotoxicity (TE), and environmental footprint (ENVF, for land use); AWARE was used to measure the water footprint (WF); and cumulative energy demand (CED) assessed energy footprint (EF). The selected functional unit (FU) is 1 kg of final chocolate bar (72% cocoa), extrapolating the characteristics of a 150 g bar. The system boundaries take into account a cradle-to-gate LCA covering the following phases: the production of ingredients, the processing of cocoa paste, transportation and packaging, the manufacture of the chocolate, and its final retail distribution. The results show that certified Organic Agriculture and Fairtrade (OA&FT) chocolate had an average global warming potential (GWP) of 3.37 kg CO2-eq per kilogram, 57.3% lower than Conventional Agriculture (CA)-based chocolate, with the greatest reduction associated with the production of ingredients, at −71.8%. The OA&FT chocolate studied had an 87.4% lower impact in the category of terrestrial ecotoxicity (TE) than that of the CA-based chocolate, yielding 13.7 and 108.6 kg 1,4-DCB per kilogram, respectively. The greatest reduction in the TE impact category also occurred for the OA&FT chocolate in the ingredient production phase, at 93%. Reductions in energy footprint (EF) and water footprint (WF) were also observed in the OA&FT product (21% and 5%). In contrast, although OA&FT processing drastically reduced the associated environmental loads, an increase in packaging and transport phase impacts was observed in the GWP and TE categories (95% and 107%, respectively). Similarly, an increase of 18.7% was observed in the land use footprint for the OA&FT chocolate. The greater need for cropland is compensated by the reduction of 449.02 kg 1,4-DCB·person−1 year−1 in the TE category. This research shows that replacing the current consumption of CA cocoa with OA&FT cocoa has the potential to reduce the GWP by 21.95 kg CO2-eq·person−1·year−1, reducing the current Basque average emission range of 8.4 tCO2-eq·year−1 by 0.26%. As a future subject to study, it was also found that the impact of long-distance maritime transportation and packaging could still have the potential to be reduced, it currently being the cause of up to 11% of the GWP from OA&FT cocoa.

Evaluation of environmental impact on cocoa production and processing under life cycle assessment method: From beans to liquor

This study aimed to identify the environmental impact on cocoa production and processing based on the life cycle assessment method (LCA). The major contribution of this study is to evaluate the environmental performance of a chocolate liquor in order to reveal the significant environmental hotspots along the entire supply chain. This is achieved through two main steps. First, the LCA method is applied to identify the environmental implications of managing the production and processing cocoa to become chocolate liquor. The LCA is performed based on the international ISO 14040–14043 series. Secondly, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to evaluate the impact of five proposed improvement options to discover whether any occurring potential environmental impacts will be reduced. The kind of scenarios are: reducing pesticides by 50 % (option 1); using compost instead of fertilizer (option 2); avoid burning stubble (option 3), conserving soil water (option 4) and applying alternative energy sources (option 5). As a result, the most significant environmental impact for the upstream and core processing was human toxicity potential (HTP) and cumulative energy demand (CED), 89 % and 59 %, respectively. In addition, the impact of the proposed improvement has significantly reduced environmental impacts (HTP, 68 %) and achieved savings (IDR 18800, 17.7 %). Survey data includes the entire supply chain, with a detailed focus on production and processing stages for an Indonesian chocolate company. This study only dealt with cocoa beans that generated 1 kg of chocolate liquor.

Effects of Predrying and Spontaneous Fermentation Treatments on Nib Acidification, Fermentation Quality, and Flavour Attributes of Ghanaian Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) Beans.

Cocoa bean acidification, fermentation, and flavour quality are intricately shaped by pulp preconditioning and fermentation treatments. This study investigates the impact of predrying and subsequent fermentation on key parameters such as pH, titratable acidity, fermentation quality (% purity), fermentation index (FI), and overall flavour quality (global quality (GQ)) of cocoa beans. Extended predrying periods and fermentation durations demonstrated a significant enhancement in bean acidification, reflected in the rise of nib pH (6.61-7.33) and the decline in nib acidity (0.023-0.013 meg NaOH/100 g). Notably, the cut test underscored the substantial improvement in % purity, reaching 75.6-99.7% for beans predried at 2-8 hours followed by a 6-day of fermentation. FI increased significantly from 1.026 to a peak of 1.067, followed by a decline to 0.098 in the control, 6 hours, and 8 hours of predried beans, respectively. Sensory evaluation showed substantial improvement in the GQ (40.1-44.6) of beans predried at 2-8 hours and fermented for 6 days, compared to the control (38.3). In addition, a significantly higher preference was shown for cocoa liquor made from the beans predried for 4-6 hours and fermented for 6 days. Principal component analysis clustered samples according to the predrying time, fermentation duration, and quality parameters measured. Optimal conditions for enhanced nib acidification, fermentation quality, and flavour attributes were identified at 6-hour predrying and 6-day fermentation using the response surface methodology. The study highlights the potential of predrying as a pulp preconditioning technique for enhancing fermentative and final bean quality.

A Short Review: Changes in the Physical-Chemical Properties of Cacao Beans During the Fermentation Process

Fermentation is one of the main processes influencing cacao beans’ quality. Proper post-harvest cacao processing can affect the quality of cacao beans. Spontaneous fermentation of cacao beans is carried out carefully for 5 d to 7 d, characterized by a series of activities of certain microorganisms from three groups of microorganisms: yeasts, lactic acid, and acetic acid. Yeast aims to liquefy the pulp, while lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria play a role in raising and lowering the pH of cacao beans during fermentation. The activity of microorganisms affects the formation of aromatic compounds in fermented cacao beans. During the fermentation process, there is a change in pH and an increase in temperature in the seed heap; this creates conditions that cause changes in the seed’s structure at the cellular level and the metabolites present in the seeds. Leucine, alanine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine are precursors contributing to cacao and chocolate aroma formation. The post-harvest processes affect the yield of cacao beans that will be used in the chocolate industry. Each process must be considered to produce high-quality fermented cacao beans.

Cocoa Bean Shell By-Products as Potential Ingredients for Functional Food and Beverage - A Review

Cocoa processing generates by-products such as pod husks, pulp, and bean shells. Among these, cocoa bean shells (CBS) stand out as a significant by-product, comprising approximately 10% to 17% of the total weight of cocoa beans. These shells are typically separated from the cocoa beans before or after roasting. A large amount of waste can be produced during the mass processing of cocoa beans; in one year, the world has 700,000 tons. CBS contains various nutrients and beneficial compounds, including approximately 50% dietary fiber, proteins, minerals, vitamins, volatile compounds, and various polyphenols. The objectives of this review encompass assessing the potential of CBS as a valuable ingredient for developing functional foods and beverages. Our methodology involved a comprehensive literature search across multiple scholarly databases, focusing on journal articles exploring CBS utilization in functional foods and beverages. The results reveal CBS as a promising by-product with significant opportunities for value addition, presenting itself as a potential functional ingredient for food and beverage applications. However, the limited literature on developing CBS-based fermented beverage products akin to kombucha and kefir underscores the need for further research to explore their untapped potential fully.

Chocolates Produced with Unroasted and Roasted Cocoa Beans: A Comparative Study of the Preservation of Bioactive Compounds

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of roasting and cocoa mass content on the composition of chocolates. Chocolate formulations were developed (40, 50, 60 and 70% cocoa solids) using unroasted and roasted cocoa beans, and analyses were performed: physicochemical, chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, procyanidin content, total phenolic compounds, quantification of theobromine, caffeine, catechin and epicatechin by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectroscopic profile by mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIR). The results revealed that higher values of total phenolics, epicatechin and procyanidins, were obtained in chocolates produced with unroasted cocoa beans, with a significant difference in relation to those with roasted cocoa beans. It was observed that increasing the percentage of cocoa in the formulations caused an increase in the content of bioactive compounds. The use of MIR in the differentiation of chocolate samples produced with roasted and unroasted cocoa beans obtained a positive result. This technique associated with principal component analysis (PCA) enabled the separation of chocolates according to the type of cocoa bean (roasted and unroasted) used in production, confirming its importance for a quick evaluation of the parameters.

Evaluation of confirmatory data following the Article 12 MRL review and modification of the existing maximum residue levels for aluminium phosphide and magnesium phosphide.

The applicant Detia Freyberg GmbH submitted to the competent national authority in Germany two requests to evaluate the confirmatory data that were identified for tree nuts, oilseeds, cereals and commodities of animal origin in the framework of the maximum residue level (MRL) review under Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 as not available and two requests in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 to increase the existing MRL for the active substance aluminium phosphide in peanuts, barley, oat, rye, rice and wheat, roots of herbal infusions, cocoa beans and seed spices and for the active substance magnesium phosphide in oilseeds (except peanuts) and pistachios. The four applications were combined by EFSA under the current assessment. To address the data gaps, validation data for the method of analysis for enforcement of phosphide in high-oil content commodities and new residue trials were submitted. The data gaps on additional residue trials supporting authorisations on oilseeds and cereal grains, on clarifications regarding the discrepancies observed in the residue trial results for pistachios, and on data confirming the negligible occurrence of phosphane and its oxidation products in livestock products were considered addressed. The data gap on independent laboratory validation (ILV) and a confirmatory method for monitoring of phosphide in high-oil content commodities was considered not fully addressed. The information provided justified a lowering of the current tentative MRLs for the whole group of cereals (except rice and 'others'), an increase of the current tentative MRLs for pistachios, the whole group of oilseeds, rice and 'other' cereals, herbal infusions from roots, cocoa beans and seed spices, and a revision of the risk assessment performed for phosphane and its phosphide salts. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short-term and long-term intake of residues resulting from the use of AlP and Mg3P2 according to the reported agricultural practices is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health. Further risk management considerations are required.

Microbial composition and metabolic profiles during machine-controlled intra-factory fermentation of cocoa beans harvested in semitropical area of Japan.

Cocoa bean fermentation is typically performed in a spontaneous manner on farms in tropical countries or areas and involves several microbial groups. Metabolism by microbes markedly affects the quality of cocoa beans fermented and the chocolate produced thereof. The present study characterized the microbiota and their metabolic profiles in temperature- and humidity-controlled intra-factory cocoa fermentation in a semitropical area of Japan. Although environmental factors were uniform, the microbiota of cocoa beans subjected to intra-factory fermentation was not stable between tests, particularly in terms of the cell count levels and species observed. Fermentation was sometimes delayed, and fermenting microbes were present at very low levels after 24 hr of fermentation. Due to the unstable microbiota, the profiles of water-soluble compounds differed between tests, indicating the unstable qualities of the fermented cocoa beans. These results suggest the necessity of starter cultures not only in on-farm fermentation but also in machine-controlled intra-factory cocoa fermentation.

Fermentation and its effect on the physicochemical and sensory attributes of cocoa beans in the Colombian Amazon.

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is the basic raw material to produce chocolate and other derivatives such as cocoa butter, cocoa powder and cocoa liquor (cocoa paste), which requires a fermentation process that affects its chemical composition and sensory profile. The objective of this study was to monitor the biochemical, physical and sensory changes during fermentation of cocoa beans in cocoa bean processing plants in the department of Caquetá, Colombia. During fermentation, the temperature of the mass and the pH of the pulp and beans were monitored at the different cocoa bean processing plants (Sites ASOACASAN ASA, COMICACAO CMI, COMCAP COC). Also, at two points during fermentation (days 4 and 7), physical properties of the bean were determined, such as variables related to bromatological composition, polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity as sensory attributes at the different sites. An increase in dough temperature was found, however the pH of the cotyledon decreased during the fermentation process and the fat and moisture content varied with fermentation time. At the site level, total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) contents were statistically different, with COC being different from the other sites. The TPC was higher at the COC site (507 mg gallic acid equivalent GAE/g Cocoa) with respect to the other sites (< 360 mg GAE/g Cocoa). The TF content followed a similar behavior to TPC, with significant differences between sites and differences between fermentation times for ASA. The TF was higher in COC (309.1 mg catechin/g cocoa) with respect to CMI (215.6 mg catechin/g cocoa) and ASA (185.7 mg catechin/g cocoa). Values in DPPH ranged from 5869.3 to 7781.8 μmol Trolox/g cocoa and for the FRAP assay ranged from 369.8 to 606.7 mg ascorbic acid AA/g cocoa among the sites. It was found that the time and management of the fermentation process has a significant impact on the parameters (biochemical, physical and sensory) of cocoa beans. Therefore, it is necessary to standardize the fermentation process to achieve a quality product that meets the needs of the market.

Existing Performance of Cocoa Agroindustry: Learn From Pt. Indonesia Hijau, Polewali Mandar, Indonesia

PT. Indonesia Hijau carries out innovation in the form of a processing business made from fermented cocoa beans. Processing cocoa beans into several types of chocolate products creates added value and also sells buy order chocolate products. This research aims to analyze production performance and marketing mapping of processed chocolate products. The method used in this research is quantitative descriptive analysis. The results of the production performance of PT. Green Indonesia from the productivity aspect is categorized as good (&gt;21,55 kg/HOK) and the capacity aspect is also categorized as good (&gt;0.7). From the aspect of raw material and product quality, PT Indonesia Hijau has SNI, P-IRT, Halal and BPOM status. Apart from that, the flexibility aspect is considered to be good because it meets 3 dimensional measurements and also has a relatively good process speed aspect. However, this research suggests that the use of e-commerce in marketing can be optimized. Apart from that, you need to think about product delivery, which currently still takes a long time (because you have to transit first) in several cities, before arriving at the final destination city by means of the local government making a port of delivery of goods.

ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЕ ПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ НА ОСНОВЕ РЕДОМИЦИЛЯЦИИ БИРЖЕВЫХ ОПЕРАЦИЙ ПО ТОРГОВЛЕ ЗЕРНОВЫМИ КУЛЬТУРАМИ

The article presents the results of a study of the processes of ensuring food security based on the redomiciliation of exchange transactions for trading grain crops produced in the Russian Federation. World exchange prices for food wheat and cocoa beans are analyzed. The possibilities of neutralizing threats to agricultural producers and consumers of agricultural products based on the development of domestic exchange trade in grain crops have been identified. Possibilities for integration within the BRICS framework have been identified for the implementation of a joint project of an international food exchange

Effects of shade tree legumes on cacao biomass and bean yields after 20 years of intercropping in Ivory Coast

Summary The choice of tree species planted with cacao trees is essential for ensuring the efficiency and sustainability of cacao farming systems. This raises the question of the long-term impact of associated tree legumes (ATLs) on cacao bean yields and biomass accumulation. This study was carried out in accordance with four-block randomised experimental design in Divo (Ivory Coast, West Africa). The study involved cacao-Albizia lebbeck (Cacao-Alb) and cacao-Acacia mangium (Cacao-Aca) intercrops and unshaded cacao plots (Control). After 20 years of intercropping, we assessed cacao dendrometry (height, circumference, biomass, and biomass C-stock) and production (number of pods per tree and bean yield at the plot level) as well as soil fertility (soil organic matter (SOM) concentration) at various distances from ATLs (D1:0–1.75 m; D2:3.25–5 m; D3:7–9 m). The distance from the ATLs had no significant effect on the measured cacao dendrometric parameters, except for cacao height. In contrast, the Cacao-Aca association had a negative impact on the SOM concentration (−22%), cacao tree height (−6.15%), and productivity parameters (biomass: −12.4%; bean yield: −43%). However, Cacao-Alb and the Control had no significant differences in terms of SOM, tree biomass, or bean production. Intercropping cacao with the tested tree legumes did not enhance cacao productivity and, in some cases, hindered it, depending on the ATL species. This study highlighted the importance of identifying appropriate shade tree legume species that could be promoted in cacao-based agroforestry systems.

Sorption and mass exchange characteristics of extrudates enriched with cocoa bean shells

The aim of the experimental work was to determine the sorption isotherms of wheat extrudates enriched with cocoa bean shells at different temperatures (10 °C, 25 °C, 40 °C) and water activities (0.11 to 0.85) using the static gravimetric method. Five three parameter models (Chung-Pfost, Halsey, Oswin, Henderson, GAB) were applied to survey the experimental data. It was established that the isotherms demonstrate Types II, according to the Brunauer’s classification and the Oswin and Chung-Pfost models were suitable for describing the relationship between the equilibrium moisture content and the water activity. The monolayer moisture content was established using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller equation and ranged within 5.08 % d.b. and 7.80 % d.b., respectively. The increase of temperature decreases the sorption characheristics of the examined extrudates. The specific surface area of sorption for wheat extrudates enriched with cocoa bean shells varies between 181.59 (m2/g) and 278.82 (m2/g). It was found that the increase of temperature of the matrix in the range of 10 °C to 40 °C decreases the values of monolayer moisture content and the specific surface area of sorption.

β-glycosidase activity associated with the formation of aroma compounds in native non-Saccharomyces yeasts isolated from cocoa bean fermentation

Description of the subject. The use of non-Saccharomyces yeast for improving fine cocoa flavor perception has been poorly explored. Objectives. In this study, we investigated the contribution of the non-Saccharomyces yeasts producing β-glycosidase isolated from the spontaneous fermentation of cocoa to the quality and production of aromas during the alcoholic fermentation of a medium based on cocoa pulp. Method. The screening for β-glycosidase activity and molecular identification of non-Saccharomyces yeast isolates from Amazonian cocoa bean fermentations were performed on agar plates with esculin as a substrate and by 5.8S ITS rDNA sequence analysis, respectively. The yeasts producing β-glycosidases were used as a starter culture for alcoholic micro-fermentations of a medium based on cocoa pulp, incubated at 30 °C for 48 h. The quantification of organic acids, ethanol, and sugars was obtained by HPLC, and aroma compounds after cocoa pulp fermentation were identified by GC-FID and GC-MS. Results. Twenty-six non-Saccharomyces yeast isolates were selected by β-glycosidase activity, comprising species such as Pichia kudriavzevii (n = 15), Pichia sp. (n = 2), Pichia sporocuriosa (n = 1), Candida orthopsilosis (n = 3), Issatchenkia sp. (n = 1), I. orientalis (n = 1), and P. kudriavzevii/I. orientalis (n = 3). All yeast strains exhibited rapid growth in cocoa pulp medium, low ethanol production, high organic acid production, and higher glucose consume than fructose. These yeasts produced thirty different volatile compounds. The main groups included alcohols (3), esters (19), terpenes (4), phenols (2), organic acids (2), and aldehydes (3), with 67% of these having fruity and floral aromas. Pichia sp., P. kudriavzevii/I. orientalis and Issatchenckia sp. were the largest producers of volatile compounds. Notably, this study identified volatile compounds with fruity aromas previously unassociated with cocoa fermentations for the first time. Conclusions. These data demonstrate the potential of β-glycosidase-producing non-Saccharomyces yeasts to improve floral and fruity aromas, suggesting their promising use as a starter culture for cocoa fermentation.

Energy and economic characterization of the traditional drying of cocoa beans in greenhouses

Drying is a crucial step in cocoa production, for storing and reducing grain humidity. In Colombia, particularly in the Antioquia region, solar energy is used in simple structures called marquesinas. In this work, the authors characterized the process energetically by determining its specific energy consumption (SEC, 27793.9 kJ/kg), the thermal efficiency of the system (η, 12.94%), and specific cocoa drying process cost: 2.27 USD$/kg dry,cocoa (approx. 10442COP$/kg dry,cocoa). At the end, with this information, is constructed grain mass loss curve versus time. The drying on the first day was faster than the following days. The main disadvantage of the greenhouse was that the beans gained moisture at night. For this reason, extra energy and time were necessary to remove the additional humidity acquired by the air condensing over the cocoa beans. This phenomenon decreased the thermal efficiency of the processes and increased its drying time.

By-products of the cocoa agribusiness: high valueadded materials based on their bromatological and chemical characterization

Worldwide, cocoa agribusiness generates about 48 million tons of cocoa pod husk residues annually, and 700 thousand tons of cocoa bean shell, by-products of the pulping and roasting processes. These residues, if not used, can represent an environmental problem. The aim of this research was to identify the potential and use of these by-products through their bromatological composition, lignocellulosic content, aromatic compounds, fatty acid profile, polyphenol and methylxanthine content, and antioxidant capacity. Extraction was made from cocoa husk and shell with a mixture of acetone-water (70:30), applying sonication (40 kHz 15 min-1) and maceration (4 h). Total polyphenols (Folin-Ciocalteau method), antioxidant capacity (DPPH and ABTS), catechin, epicatechin, caffeine, and theobromine (HPLC) were quantified. Aromatic compounds and fatty acid quantifications were evaluated through GC/MS-QP. Cocoa husk and shell stood out for their content of fiber, protein, lignocellulosic material, and fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, elaidic, and stearic). Volatile compounds such as pyrazines, esters, alcohols, and aldehydes were identified in the residues. The results showed that the husk had a higher content of total polyphenols than the shell (26.64 mg GAE g-1 vs. 19.18 mg GAE g-1). The shell exhibited higher values of epicatechin (21.64 mg g-1), theobromine (15.41 mg g-1), and caffeine (4.96 mg g-1) compared to the husk (6.07, 0.53, and 0.52 mg g-1, respectively). Due to their composition, these by-products can be used by different industries, and contribute to obtaining a higher added value and to the solution of environmental problems due to their use.

Lettuce Response to Enhanced Struvite Recovered from Faecal Sludge Effluent and the Probabilistic Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Through the Intake of the Lettuce.

Precipitating magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) to include potassium (K) has been explored to improve the fertilizing ability of the product. The present study aims to precipitate a MAP that also contains K and determine the probable risk to human health through the daily consumption of lettuce cultivated with the enhanced struvite. Analysis of the precipitate revealed that adding cocoa bean husk as seed produced MAP with potassium (K) content. The concentration of the heavy metals in the fresh leaves (concentration range, safe limits in mg/kg) was Cu (6.14 – 12.13, 73.3), Cd (0.11 – 0.43, 0.2), Ni (0.44 – 0.85, 67.9), Pb (0.85 – 1.38, 0.3). The estimated daily intake of heavy metals via the consumption of lettuce grown with struvite was below the tolerable upper dietary intake levels. The 95th percentile of the hazard index for the control, NPK and struvite are 0.047, 0.605, (0.214 – 0.759) respectively. The struvite produced can significantly improve its performance as an alternate phosphorus fertilizer and also show if struvite is safe for use as a fertilizer.

Physical characteristics of extrudates from wheat semolina enriched with cocoa bean shells

Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effect of cocoa bean shells content (5 % and 10 %), moisture content (14 % and 20 %) and temperature of the matrix (160 °C and 180 °C) on the physical characteristics of wheat semolina extrudates with cocoa bean shells. The extrusion was carried out on a single screw extruder Brabender 20 DN. A full factorial experiment 23 was used to evaluate the influence of above mentioned parameters on the water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI) and moisture content (W). The water absorption index varies between 7.13 g/g and 9.91 g/g, water solubility index between 9.34 % and 22.48 % and moisture content between 7.75 % and 11.31 % respectively. The data show that the increase of the moisture content from 14 % to 20 % increases the water absorption index and decreases the water solubility index while the increase of cocoa bean shells content from 5 % to 10 % results in lower water absorption index and higher water solubility index. Temperature of the matrix has no influence on the moisture content and water absorption index. The water solubility index decreases when the temperature of the matrix increases.