Lívia de Matos Santos1†
Camila Duarte Ferreira Ribeiro1,2*†
Janaína de Carvalho Alves3†
Isadora Santana Araújo da Silva1†
Vanessa de Lima Silva2†
Isabelle Palma Patrício Santos2†
Mariana Nougalli Roselino1†- 1Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- 2Nutrition School, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
- 3Graduate Program in Biotechnology - Northeast Network of Biotechnology (RENORBIO), Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
Introduction: The limited understanding of the potential applications of cocoa by-products, due to the scarcity of studies that integrate scientific research and patent analysis, hinders the proper use of these by-products and compromises their role in promoting sustainability in the food industry.
Methodology: In this study, a multidimensional review encompassing scientific and patentometric analyses of cocoa by-products was conducted. Databases (Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline/PubMed) were utilized with search terms (Cocoa* OR Theobroma cacao AND by-product*) to identify scientific articles (144). Additionally, we explored earch databases [Espacenet and National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI)], employing a combination of earch terms and international classification codes (Cocoa* OR Theobroma cacao AND by-product* AND A23G), to identify the generated technologies (73).
Results and discussion: The results revealed a significant concentration of scientific research in the agricultural and biological sciences (68%), focusing on the bioactive and biofunctional composition of the cocoa by-products. Additionally, interest in technological innovation related to these by-products was identified, as evidenced by the increased number of patent registrations after 2020. These findings suggest a significant potential for growth in this sector and provide valuable insights for future research and product development within the food industry.
1 Introduction
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is a berry fruit native to South America that grows on the trunk and branches of cocoa trees from the Malvaceae family. The fruit can attain lengths of up to 25 cm, whereas trees can reach heights of 10 m (Vásquez et al., 2019). In 2019, global cocoa production averaged 5.6 million tons, with the Ivory Coast ranking as the largest producer. During cocoa processing, beans produce chocolate and various cocoa derivatives, including liquor, powder, butter, and cocoa paste. These products are in high demand globally, with annual growth rates of approximately 3.6% in North America and 1.7% in the European Union. However, cocoa processing generates by-products, notably the cocoa pod shell and tegument, categorized as residual biomass, constituting up to 80% of the fruit's dry weight (Vásquez et al., 2019).
These by-products contain bioactive compounds, such as pigments, polyphenols, fibers, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, which exhibit notable biological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic activities. Moreover, they have applications in various sectors such as water treatment and energy. The increased scientific exploration of the health benefits of these residues offers the potential to reduce food waste and garner societal interest. Monitoring and raising awareness regarding the importance of reducing waste, ensuring food security, and mitigating environmental impacts is crucial for reducing food waste during processing (Arun et al., 2020).
Global food waste exceeds 1.3 billion tons and is projected to reach an average of 2.6 billion tons by 2025, with a corresponding economic loss of 400 billion US dollars. This emphasizes the urgent need to establish sustainable and environmentally compatible methodologies for industrial by-product applications to maximize their potential utilization (Kumar et al., 2022).
Cocoa by-products, including the shell and husk, are primarily generated in the field during the initial processing and can constitute up to 80% of the fruit weight. The large-scale production of cocoa waste biomass poses a significant environmental concern for cocoa-producing and processing countries. Political and social instability in some of these countries, along with fluctuations in the US dollar value, directly influence cocoa prices, leading to price volatility, reduced investments, and increased tax burdens. Implementing the effective management of residual biomass could enhance the financial situation of producers and industries through innovative technologies. In 2017, the value of the cocoa industry shells and other by-products increased by approximately USD 244 million, indicating the growing utilization of these by-products by industries worldwide (Vásquez et al., 2019).
Understanding cocoa by-products within the scope of scientific research and patents is important to guide efforts to develop new technologies. This knowledge is fundamental for expanding the ability to anticipate and stimulate the organization of innovative systems. Accordingly, the primary objective of this study is to investigate cocoa by-products using multidimensional scientific and patentometric analyses.
2 Methodological aspects
This review defines cocoa by-products as products derived from cocoa fruits without well-established commercialization, such as pods, tegument, oil, leaves, and honey, compared to derivatives such as liquor and cocoa butter, which are highly commercialized in the food and cosmetic industries.
The study was divided into scientific and technological analyses because of the structure of scientific articles and patents being differentiated as tools for disseminating different types of knowledge (Otero et al., 2022). In February 2024, data was collected from scientific articles and patent documents using the Web of Science, Scopus, Medline/PubMed, Espacenet, and National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) technological databases. The search included the following term combinations: “Cocoa* OR Theobroma cacao AND by-product*” and “Cocoa* OR Theobroma cacao AND by-product* AND A23G.”
To ensure data accuracy in evaluating cocoa by-product usage, the documents were analyzed and either selected or excluded based on the eligibility criteria. This study included articles and patent documents on cocoa by-products (cocoa pods, cocoa bean shells, cocoa honey, mucilage, and cocoa pulp). Conversely, articles and patent documents that did not address the topic of cocoa by-products were excluded.
The results and discussion are divided into: (1) general data found, (2) annual evolution of articles and patent documents, (3) application areas and most reported by-products of articles and patent documents, (4) international classification codes, and holders, of patent documents, (5) origin country's of articles and patent documents, (6) co-occurrence analysis. The study results were presented using tables and figures created using various software tools (Excel and PowerPoint [Microsoft 365]; VISME [https://www.visme.co]; VOSviewer [version 1.6.18]; CANVA [https://www.canva.com]). The term “patent document” refers to submitted and granted patents.
3 Results and discussion
3.1 General data found
After applying the eligibility criteria, 220 articles and 84 patent documents were included in this study (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Methodological flowchart.
3.2 Annual evaluation of articles and patent documents
The first scientific study using cocoa by-products, was identified through analysis, dated 1981 (composition of cocoa husk fat related to cocoa butter), conducted by El-Saied, Morsi, and Amer. This study determined the composition of cocoa shell fat in relation to cocoa butter (El-Saied et al., 1981). Subsequently, an increase in publications was observed from 2005 (seven publications), with technological advancements cocoa products in different fields, particularly in the food and pharmaceutical industries (Vásquez et al., 2019). A variable growth profile was observed until 2008 (eight publications), peaking in 2018 (21 publications) (Supplementary Figure 1).
Technical analysis, revealed that patent documents on cocoa by-products have been granted since 1913. The application of this invention refers to an elaborate process for preparing cocoa and its by-products and obtaining improved fat percentage (Edwards, 1913). However, a notable increase was observed only in 2001, when two patent documents were filed. This pattern was not linear, with no documents filed in 2005 or d 2006, and a peak, of 14 files in 2020.
A comparison of scientific and technological publications from 2003 to 2014, revealed, numerous publications on patent documents (53 publications and 12 patents). In 2015 and 2017, the findings were comparable (six and five publications and three and two patent documents, respectively). From 2018 to 2023, scientific submissions have more than doubled in relation to patent documents (138 publications and 42 patent documents). Over the years, the number of publications (72.6%) regarding the use of cocoa by-products has exceeded that of patent documents (27.3%). Although patentable academic discoveries continue (Rasmussen et al., 2006). Several issues related to patent deposits must be addressed, including the commercialization of these academic centers and the authors and holders to which this request will be linked (Fini et al., 2010; Lawson, 2013).
A decrease in patent applications by 2024 may reflect the 18-month confidentiality period required in the patenting phase (counted from the filing date), and the time interval for documents to be indexed in the database (Oliveira et al., 2021).
The results of this analysis highlight the potential applications of cocoa by-products in poorly investigated areas, such as medicine, cosmetics, and microbiology. Applying these alternative matrices in the development of new studies and technologies will make the current cocoa production scenario more sustainable and valuable.
3.3 Application areas and most reported by-products of articles and patent documents
The current relevance of cocoa by-products is manifested by the diversity of their applications (Figure 2). The field of agricultural and biological sciences led with 85% of the publications, followed by Health Science (11.6%) and Exact and Earth Sciences (3.2%).
Figure 2. Application areas of cocoa by-products from Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline/PubMed databases.
Evaluation of cocoa products, particularly their nutritional composition, has garnered significant attention over the years. For instance, Azizah et al. (1999) investigated the antioxidant properties of cocoa shells. In this study, it was defended conscious consumption of foods of natural origin with high nutritional value. However, the authors also highlight the need to study the nutritional composition and antioxidant activities of this product. The findings from this study revealed that both cocoa shell and nibs exhibit strong antioxidant activity when methanol is used as a solvent an activity >0.8/10 μL extract for both.
Hidalgo et al. (2019) further investigated the health benefits of cocoa by-products, particularly by examining their effects on cardiovascular health following the consumption of cocoa pods and teguments obesity-inducing diet. The authors emphasized the high fiber content, carbohydrates, proteins, and flavonoids in the by-products, which can modulate obesity and lipid disorders. After 5 weeks of treatment, notable reductions were observed: up to 39% in body weight, 27% in systolic blood pressure, 55% in triglycerides, and 24% in total cholesterol.
Recorded cocoa production in 2020/2021 exceeded 5 million tons of cocoa beans. With cocoa pod husks representing 80% of the associated waste and up to 76% of the cocoa bean dry weight. Cocoa shell was the most frequently studied by-product (51%), followed by teguments (41%). Interest in this by-product has increased both commercially and industrially through scientific investigations and patent filings. Its composition includes ash, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, protein, and minerals such as calcium and potassium (Vandenberghe et al., 2022) (Supplementary Figure 2).
The cocoa shell is the outer part of the fruit and is characterized by its rough texture, oval shape, and noticeable thickness. Owing to its diversity, color variations can be observed, ranging from light yellow purple shades. Furthermore, their intrinsic properties provide protection against environmental agents, pests, and potential damage during harvesting. It represents a significant proportion, up to 80% of the total fruit weight, making its disposal a challenging and relevant issue. Additionally, cocoa shells are rich in lignin, non-starch polysaccharides, terpenoids, flavonoids, and free amino acids, such as glutamine and lysine. Commonly used in soil fertilization owing to its substantial mineral content, there is also a growing interest in exploring their potential applications in other fields, including the food industry, pharmaceutical sector, and cosmetics industry (Vásquez et al., 2019).
Tegument is a by-product rich in bioactive compounds, gaining recognition and application in the food processing industry. Its composition includes carbohydrates, proteins, and low lipid content, as well as theobromine, methylxanthines, dietary fibers, and phenolic compounds (Souza et al., 2022). To provide a comprehensive overview, Table 1 summarizes selected key articles related to cocoa husk and tegument the Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline/Pubmed, organized according to scientific and technological relevance.
Table 1. Main articles found with cocoa shell and tegument in Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline/Pubmed databases.
The studies fall within the biological and agricultural sciences (Table 1), aligning with Figure 1; 51.8% of the studies focused on assessing the nutritional potential of cocoa by-products, particularly their antioxidant activities.
Souza et al. (2022) assessed the potential for using flour derived from cocoa shells and almonds as a substitute for wheat flour in preparing chocolate cakes. It was deemed possible to replace up to 75% of wheat flour with cocoa shell flour without compromising the acceptability of the product.
Rojo-Poveda et al. (2019) evaluated the antidiabetic activity of a functional beverage made from ground cocoa bean shells and teguments, and demonstrated promising potential in inhibiting a key enzyme in glucose metabolism (α-glucosidase). However, the acceptability of the beverage was affected by its taste, possibly owing to the presence of methylxanthines and polyphenols.
Mariatti et al. (2021) investigated technologies for extracting nutritional compounds from cocoa by-products and identified a composition rich in proteins, lipids, dietary fibers, and polyphenols. These compounds have promising applications, particularly in the functional food and beverage industry, a growing market valued at over 1.28 billion dollars.
Balentić et al. (2018) reviewed the possible applications of cocoa bean husks/teguments, with an emphasis on the food industry, where the development of extracts containing total phenols (14 mg/g), theobromine (10 mg/g), caffeine (4.21 mg/g), and catechin (1.02 mg/g) can be used in various food matrices.
Several studies have demonstrated that incorporating dietary fiber into various food matrices, their properties functional. In addition to its numerous health benefits, fiber eases satiety, making it a promising product for reducing portions, sizes particularly in animal foods. Several by-products, such as cocoa pod shells, are rich in dietary fiber and can be used as food ingredients. They are also rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium, have a high soluble pectin content, and are sources of hydrolase enzymes. Moreover, studies on the techno-functional properties of dietary fiber have recently demonstrated its ability to retain water and its potential as a substitute for emulsifiers (Delgado-Ospina et al., 2021).
In the field of technology, the food industry reported the most patent deposits (44%), followed by the chemical and biochemical industries (23%) (Figure 3A). Within the food industry, these by products are primarily used for the development of food ingredients (49%) (Figure 3B), followed by functional foods and beverages (19%).
Figure 3. Distribution of patent document application areas (A), with a focus on the food industry (B), regarding the use of cocoa by-products found in the Espacenet and INPI databases.
The composition of cocoa bean shell has garnered significant interest in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, primarily because of its biological properties and because it is a natural, low cost ingredient. Valuing this by-product, in addition to guaranteeing economic benefits through the development of new products, generates environmental benefits. Thus, it reduces waste streams and cause soil damage (Pagliari et al., 2022).
A highlight in the development of cocoa by-product food ingredients is the 2010 patent document (Kannar et al., 2008), which describes a manufacturing process for sugar-containing desired levels of phytochemicals by incorporating by-products such as cocoa husk/tegument. The 1931 patent document (Monsanto Chemical Works Ltd, 1929) aimed to develop an economical process for extracting fats and alkaloids from cocoa by-products to improve their commercial viability. Regarding developing products with functional applications, a 2009 patent document (Anton and Mateos-Aparicio, 2008) described a prebiotic product with high concentrations of soluble fibers by applying rapid sustainable techniques, using water as a pressurizing fluid to increase fiber levels effectively.
Recently, the industrial and scientific technology sectors have invested in developing new technologies that exploit the nutritional potential of cocoa by-products. This approach aims, to meet consumer demands and mitigate the environmental impacts associated with the inappropriate disposal of these products (Mariatti et al., 2021). For effective planning and technological development, understanding the outlook of by-product use is necessary. The shell, that is, the cocoa pod, is the most highlighted by-product inEspacenet. An INPI search revealed that cocoa pods (32%) and honey (25%) were well-represented (Supplementary Figure 3).
The classification of cocoa by-products is important given that many of these by-products, resulting from fruit processing, are frequently discarded in landfills without proper commercial valorization. Therefore, over time, pulp, which is, essential for cocoa honey production, and the honey, itself have demonstrated significant market value, supported by scientific research and specialized publications, as well as culinary applications. A search on the Google search engine in Brazil (https://www.google.com/) showed that the price of a liter of cocoa honey in February 2024 reached R$83.00. Therefore, the transformation of cocoa honey from a by-product to an item with added commercial value, such as nibs and cocoa butter (designated as cocoa derivatives), the fundamental role of these products play in the commercial appreciation of cocoa.
Agricultural by-products, such as teguments, have garnered attention, primarily because of decreased natural resources and serious environmental issues. Its production is estimated to be significant considering the global production of cocoa, where the weight of its by-product represents 12–20% of the cocoa seed (Okiyama et al., 2017). Therefore, it is important to understand the technologies involved in the use of these compounds. Listed in order of relevance, Table 2 summarizes some of the main patent documents mentioning cocoa husk and seed coats in the Espacenet and INPI databases.
Table 2. Main patent documents mentioning cocoa shell and tegument in the Espacenet and INPI databases.
A relationship between the patent documents presented here and the application areas regarding food ingredients and functional foods or beverages can be observed. Most patent documents describe the recovery or development of ingredients or food products rich in nutritional compounds or with beneficial health effects, such as developing foods with high protein content, polysaccharides, antioxidants, and low caffeine content (Carmenza et al., 2018). Regarding the development of nutritionally enriched compounds, a Brazilian patent document (Bradbury and Kopp, 2006) describes the composition of nutritional compounds from the cocoa husk/tegument. It is also possible to identify the use of these compounds in technological applications with health effects, such as the development of materials that suppress cholesterol levels (Ota et al., 1992). These data reflect considerable caution in the technology sector because, in addition to the use of these by-products in the food industry, there are concerns about the use of their constituents in terms of beneficial health effects.
Cocoa tegument is the main by-products of the cocoa and chocolate industry. Unlike other by-products, it is exported with cocoa beans and discarded at processing sites. Although not a part of chocolate formulations, it has sensory and nutritional properties similar to those of cocoa, including catechin polyphenols, epicatechins, and procyanidins (Rojo-Poveda et al., 2020a). These similarities have prompted intensive investigations into their potential applications. In particular technological and scientific research has intensified to verify the potential of cocoa husk/tegument as a food additive or vitamin supplement due to its high nutritional content and low cost (Okiyama et al., 2017).
Over the years, remodeling of the food chain through sustainable and efficient approaches has become necessary. Thus, understanding and valuing the broad applications of food by-products has become increasingly necessary. With increasing global food demand, these products are increasingly being investigated, because of their nutritional diversity and ready to be exploited. In addition, these by-products have a low toxicity risk and are highly accepted by consumers (Rebollo-Hernanz et al., 2021).
3.4 International classification codes and holders of patent documents
Patent filings qualify in terms of their usefulness, novelty, and obviousness. Patent institutions categorize applications by using a standard hierarchy. The most widely used classification is IPC, which is a standardized taxonomy organized into herarchial. In this type of classification, the highest level is the section, followed by the class, subclass, subclasses, groups, and subgroups (Oryehun et al., 2021).
Collecting data from the technical analysis revealed the most frequently reported codes among the patent filings. Section A is the most frequently reported among the codes and addresses human needs, including agriculture, food products, tobacco, personal or domestic items, and health. Class A23, which addresses food or foodstuffs and their treatments, and the subclasses A23G, A23K and A23L, accounted for the highest proportions. The A23G subclass particularly addresses cocoa, its products, and its derivatives. The most reported subsequent sections were C, chemical, and metallurgical, followed by B, and processing operations. The results obtained from the analysis of the IPC codes on cocoa by-products corroborate the findings on the application areas (Supplementary Figure 4).
Regarding the holders, it was possible to identify that companies led patent filings in Espacenet (67%) and INPI (42%); however, educational and research institutions at INPI ranked second with 35% (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Holders of patent documents on using cocoa by-products found in the Espacenet and INPI databases.
Upon reviewing the patent documents submitted by education and research institutes within the INPI, the State University of Santa Cruz, located in the city of Ilhéus in the southern region of Bahia, and the National Service of Industrial Learning/Bahia were notable, each with three patent deposits. Concurrently, the University Federal da Bahia had, two patent documents. The proposed patents include the development of products from compounds present in or extracted from cocoa by-products (Nery et al., 2020), particularly the production of beverages (Oliveira et al., 2019a), and powders developed from these by-products (Oliveira et al., 2019b).
Among the companies that filed patent documents in Brazil using cocoa by-products, some were foreign, such as the American Intercontinental Great Brands LLC, which focuses on manufacturing and supplying food products. Its patent documents focus on developing food products using cocoa by-products (Dimartino et al., 2021; Brandstetter et al., 2009). Kraft Foods R&D, INC, is among the world's largest companies in food products, with documents of American and German origin, technologies has developed technologies for grinding the seed husk of cocoa (Kopp et al., 2006), and development of enriched products with by-products (Bradbury and Kopp, 2006; Chronopoulos and Zuurbier, 2009). In the business sector, a primary consideration for starting a business is the existence of a potential market. In addition, factors that can contribute to increased organizational operations in each sector include the amount of scientific production, patent activity in the area, the presence of venture capital companies with an interest in the sector, and human capital, that is, the availability of people with the required skills and motivation (van Wilgenburg et al., 2019). In this study, the companies described in the Espacenet database confirmed this data.
Interest in cocoa beans has become an obstacle to popularizing technologies using these alternative matrices. Furthermore, the complexities and costs of the patent system may discourage researchers from seeking intellectual property protection and limited funding may be a sticking point, Bridging the gap between basic research and commercial applications is a constant challenge (Dunn and Kennedy, 2019).
Cocoa and chocolate trade transactions were recorded and estimated at USD 46.61 billion in 2021, forecasted to grow to USD 67.88 billion by 2029. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affect the expected demand in the sector. Nevertheless, the market has shown progressive growth following the consolidated global trajectory of chocolate confections. A significant increase in the share of global mills has led to an increased consumption of cocoa-derived ingredients (Fortune Business Insights, 2022).
3.5 Countries of origin articles and patent documents
In the scientific field, Brazil was the most frequently reported country, followed by Italy, Spain, Malaysia, Mexico and Belgium. Ruguengo et al. (2022) highlighted similar findings in the countries that most frequently addressed the valuable components of industrial by-products, including Brazil, Spain, and Italy (Supplementary Figure 5).
This may be because Brazil is one of the seven primary cocoa-producing countries, with, well-established production and factories exhibiting, good industrialization capacity for diverse cocoa derivatives, such as chocolate (Guirlanda et al., 2021).
Furthermore, the Executive Committee of the Cocoa Farming Plan (CEPLAC), affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture, is an international authority in promoting cocoa cultivation in Brazil. For over 60 years, CEPLAC has encouraged urban and economic development in southern Bahia and other states, such as Pará, Amazonas, Rondônia, and Espírito Santo. Numerous projects have been developed by CEPLAC, which have driven advances in cocoa production and consumption cocoas well as research in this area (BRASIL Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária, 2023).
As for the technological assessment, it was identified that the United States was the most prominent country (29%) followed by Japan (20%) in patent filing. Regarding the data obtained from the national database INPI, all documents analyzed that addressed the use of cocoa by-products were from Brazilian deposits, likely because the institution is responsible for Brazilian technological property concessions (Supplementary Figure 6).
The USA is among the main powers within the global agricultural system, and is responsible for innovation in the agrotechnological sector. Although the USA faces major limitations in environmental, demographic, and economic aspects, primarily due to a reduced labor force and aging population, it protects its technologies by filing patent documents (Veeck and Yu, 2020).
Brazil is the seventh largest producer of cocoa worldwide, with the largest plantations in the northern and northeastern regions. Northeast Brazil has the highest cocoa export rate with an average of 44,000 tons in 2020, amounting to approximately USD 184 million. Bahia accounts for almost 100% of cocoa exports, amounting to approximately 44,600 tons (Brainer, 2021). This state also holds the most patent documents related to cocoa by-product in Brazil. In particular, the southern of Bahia and the northern part of Espírito Santo predominate the cocoa cultivation system in a consortium with cabruca, that is, a native forest. In this cultivation method, cocoa plantations, unlike other plantations, favor the preservation of natural resources such as springs, a portion of the forest, and native trees. Southern Bahia has a cocoa plantation of approximately 250,000 ha in a cabruca (Rodrigues et al., 2021).
The development of new products from industrial by-products for different applications has received considerable attention. Accordingly, industrialized countries seek strategic alternatives for their use and to add value to their products (Rojo-Poveda et al., 2020b). The data presented here are relevant for understanding the global perception of cocoa production and industrialization processes, consequently, its by-products. The exports of these raw materials have reached $47 billion worldwide (Vandenberghe et al., 2022).
3.6 Co-occurrence analysis
This analysis focused on the exploring relationships between keywords in the investigated articles (Figure 5). The co-occurrence matrices form rows and columns, and their intersection represents the co-occurrences. This analysis aimed to verify the bibliographic potential of scientific articles or research literature (Zhou et al., 2022). Indeed, this strategy has become an effective statistical method for analyzing the associations among many variables, thereby aiding the understanding of scientific patterns and trends.
Figure 5. Analysis of co-occurrence of keywords in articles that address cocoa by-products.
The similarities identified in this analysis were categorized into four clusters, first (pink), second (yellow), third (green), the fourth (lilac) (Figure 5). In the first cluster, the terms with the highest similarity were antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids, fatty acids, food handling, and fermentation. The second cluster comprised animals, animal feed, diet, and chemistry. The third cluster included cocoa, antioxidant activity, plant extracts, flavonoids and seeds and included a controlled study. In the fourth cluster, Theobroma cacao and its by-products showed the highest occurrence.
The associated data provide insights into the current trends in studies on the main aspects of cocoa by-products. Kay, analyzed in the articles included nutritional, biofunctional, chemical composition, food industry, food handling, agrarian sector, development of feeds and products for the agricultural sector.
4 Conclusions
The rise in scientific publications and patents highlights significant growth potential in this area. Agricultural and biological sciences are the primary fields of application, with a focus on the food industry. Cocoa almond shell and husks are the most studied by-products in both scientific literature and patents. The most relevant IPC code associated with these by-products is A23, related to food and processing. Brazil and Italy lead in scientific research, while the USA and Japan dominate patent production on Espacenet. Companies are the main patent holders on both Espacenet and INPI. Co-occurrence analysis revealed strong bibliographic connections, focusing on biofunctional aspects, chemical composition, and applications in agribusiness and related industries. It can therefore be concluded that the sustainable use of cocoa by-products is fundamental to the development of a more efficient, profitable production chain that is in line with global environmental and economic demands.
Author contributions
LMS: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – original draft. CDFR: Conceptualization, Data curation, Funding acquisition, Project administration, Supervision, Validation, Writing – reviews & editing. JCA: Writing – review & editing. ISAS: Writing – review & editing. VLS: Writing – review & editing. IPPS: Writing – review & editing. MNR: Methodology, Supervision, Visualization, Writing – review & editing.
Funding
The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The authors would like to thank the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/Brazil, Process no. 409924/2021-0), and Research Support Foundation of the State of Bahia (FAPESB/Bahia/Brazil, process no. RED0002/2024), for their financial support.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the members of the Coordination for the Training and Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES/Brazil, Finance Code 001; Process No. 88887.664101/2022-00). CF thanks CNPq/Brazil for her Productivity Scholarships in Technological Development and Innovative Extension (Process No. 303587/2021-0).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Supplementary material
The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1460720/full#supplementary-material
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Keywords: scientific prospection, sustainability, Theobroma cacao, by-product, technological prospection
Citation: Santos LdM, Ferreira Ribeiro CD, Alves JdC, da Silva ISA, Silva VdL, Santos IPP and Roselino MN (2024) Multidimensional strategies for sustainable management of cocoa by-products. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 8:1460720. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2024.1460720
Received: 06 July 2024; Accepted: 14 October 2024;
Published: 30 October 2024.
Edited by:
Jay Prakash Verma, Banaras Hindu University, IndiaReviewed by:
Arindam Kuila, Banasthali University, IndiaAmruta Prakash Kanakdande, ESSO-National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Trivandrum, India
Copyright © 2024 Santos, Ferreira Ribeiro, Alves, da Silva, Silva, Santos and Roselino. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Camila Duarte Ferreira Ribeiro, camiladuartef@ufba.br
†ORCID: Lívia de Matos Santos orcid.org/0000-0003-4394-8646
Camila Duarte Ferreira Ribeiro orcid.org/0000-0003-2968-5739
Janaína de Carvalho Alves orcid.org/0000-0001-9684-8556
Isadora Santana Araújo da Silva orcid.org/0009-0008-1020-576X
Vanessa de Lima Silva orcid.org/0000-0001-8890-8715
Isabelle Palma Patrício Santos orcid.org/0009-0000-0495-2402
Mariana Nougalli Roselino orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-985X