Present status of cacao by-products utilization in Brazil. In: Theobroma v. 14 p. 271-291, 1984.

Abstract

The Cacao Research Cenler has initiated a series of projects aimed at deriving greater benefits from the Cacao industry wastes. Brazil is one of the few countries thal is developing this industry. A cacao jelly is bring produced on a small scale and the demand exceeds the production. Juice, mechanically extracted from the bean pulp is frozen and sold as a soft drink. The depulping proccess, properly done. does not affect the fermentation. Alcohol is produced by fermenting lhe pulp juice however its quality needs to be improved. Fresh pod husks supplied as at diet to cattle showed poor digestibility, but this was compensated by high intakes and no weight loss or iII effects from the diet were observed. The problem of the seasonability can be resolved by husk silage. Yields of methane from pod husk were normal but showed unfavourable returns; substrate digestibility was low owing to agglomeration and the biodigestor residue showed no fertilizer value. Pre-digestion of husk to improve the efficiency is planned. A plant for the recovery of cacao butter from diseaed pods is in operation and its production will increase as the collecting network extends throughout the region. Future research is presented in the form of an integrated programme to optimize by-products utilization.