Integration of process analytical technologies to the cocoa processing chain

• Grant number: 23/16840-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: September 01, 2024 - August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Convênio/Acordo: CONFAP - National Council of State Research Support Foundations
• Principal Investigator: Douglas Fernandes Barbin
• Grantee: Douglas Fernandes Barbin
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Eva García Martínez ; Izabel Almeida Alves ; Leonardo Fonseca Maciel ; Lidice Almeida Arlego Paraguassu ; Louise Emy Kurozawa ; María del Mar Camacho Vidal ; Nuria Martínez Navarrete ; SERGIO EDUARDO SOARES ; Vivaldo Silveira Junior

Abstract

The main challenge of cocoa cooperative farming in Bahia is obtaining cocoa beans to produce high-quality chocolates with a higher content of bioactive compounds, in addition to the valorization of cocoa co-products such as cocoa pulp and cocoa honey. The global cocoa industry seeks quality beans of controlled origin, as well as sustainable processes with local populations, valuing the production network and resulting in high quality chocolate and innovative products. In turn, the production of fermented drinks derived from fruit pulp is encouraged to not only incorporate typical regional fruits into differentiated products, but also to be structured as an alternative source of income to the primary processing of fruits. In both situations, producers face several challenges, in particular, challenges in meeting and maintaining the quality standards required of their products. In many cases, the quality control of certain stages of the processes comes up against technical and financial limitations in which the necessary equipment is expensive, difficult to operate, involves destructive techniques and uses chemical reagents that are often toxic. Factors like these are good justifications for proposing simple, effective, accessible and safe analytical technologies. Considering the lack of studies on process analytical techniques applied to food and beverages in emerging countries such as Brazil, this project proposes to apply fast and low-cost analytical technologies at different moments in the cocoa production chain: in evaluating the degree of fermentation of cocoa beans, in the production of chocolate with the incorporation of bioactive compounds from microencapsulated spices and in the control of alcoholic fermentation and shelf life of cocoa pulp and honey. Through rapid prediction with spectral, image and ultrasound information, parameters such as pH, color, presence of chemical compounds indicating quality, degree of fermentation, etc. will be evaluated. In addition, determination of bioavailability of oral exposure of compounds from cocoa and simulate plasma concentrations considered beneficial for the human body. In this way, it is expected to develop techniques (and apparatus) that will contribute to increasing the quality of different cocoa-derived products, which can be applied by small producers and which will contribute to strengthening the cocoa production chain by ensuring greater product quality. (AU)