Study and evaluation of physicochemical characteristics of cocoa cake developed from cocoa cultivars from the state of São Paulo

• Grant number: 25/05956-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Valdecir Luccas
• Grantee: Larissa Santos Fratia
• Host Institution: Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos (ITAL). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/07015-7 - PBIS - Integrated Biotechnological Platform of Healthy Ingredients, AP.NPOP

Abstract

Cocoa is a fruit native to the Amazon region, of which Brazil was one of the largest producers in the world in the 20th decade. Currently, cocoa farming is facing structural crises (social, political and environmental), mainly in Africa, which is the region that holds approximately 70% of the world's cocoa production, which provides opportunities for Brazil to develop the crop in its national territory and expand to new states. Since 2014, the State of São Paulo has been consolidating cocoa cultivation in traditional regions (Ribeira Valley) and new regions (Planalto Paulista). Cocoa is rich in bioactive compounds, conferring great nutritional value, but there is still no complete understanding of its properties. It is known that the quality of cocoa, and consequently of its beans, has a multifactorial relationship with climate, region, soil, age of the plant, among other factors. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the nutritional quality of cocoa products, and especially of fruits from the State of São Paulo. The present project aims to evaluate the phenolic and lipid composition, the physicochemical properties of cocoa beans in dry, fermented and non-fermented forms. Characterizing the beans in terms of pH, moisture and color, in addition to carrying out roasting, pressing and obtaining cocoa cake processes. Methodologies for enzymatic extraction of the residual lipid phase of the cake and obtaining phenolic compounds will be applied. It is expected that the results will contribute to the understanding of possible uses and exploitations of cocoa cake, in addition to providing relevant data for the valorization of cocoa from São Paulo and a greater understanding of its properties, assisting the industry in the production of ingredients and foods with greater added value and adequate nutritional quality.