Cocoa Research Centre

Value Added Products

by Darin Sukha

Value added processing of cocoa and cocoa by products in Trinidad and Tobago could significantly increase the income generating capacity of the industry.

In addition to unrefined and refined chocolate cocoa butter cocoa wastes such as pod husks, pulp and by products from cocoa butter can be commercially processed to produce a variety of value added products.

These include poultry and livestock feed, fertilisers and mulches food products and soap.

By making additional use of the cocoa bean and use of the residue of the cocoa manufacturing process, these products can be processed and marketed locally, providing employment and income for rural communities in addition to the food industry.

The following is a rough guide that can be utilised when considering what value added products can be derived from cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) for research, development and commercial purposes.

1. Pod husks Animal feed- fresh or dried pod husks are sliced and mixed with other feeds or used in the manufacture of animal feed pellets.
2. Nibs
   1. Chocolate (dark and milk)-chips, blocks, baking/cooking chocolate etc
   2. Drinking cocoa/chocolate
   3. Spreads for pastries and bread-combination with nut spreads etc.
   4. Chocolate yogurt
   5. Truffles
   6. Liqueurs
   7. Cocoa Liquors
   8. Cocoa powder
3. Fresh pulp
   1. Jams
   2. Jellies
   3. Ice cream
   4. Yogurt (pulp made into a nectar and stirred into yougurt)
   5. Pancake syrup
   6. Juices and shakes
   7. Wine
   8. Vinegar
   9. Nata - a processed agar-like product packed in syrup and consumed as a desert in Asia.
   10. Processed pulp - for use in development of other products.
4. Cacao Sweatings - Collected during fermentation, hydrolyzed by microorganisms
   1. Alcoholic beverages - wine
   2. Jelly
   3. Jam
   4. Syrup
   5. Pectin
   6. Soft drinks
5. Cocoa husk (testa)
   1. Mouthwash and toothpaste - Cocoa bean husk, the outer part of the cocoa beans which is usually discarded during chocolate production, has an antibacterial effect on the mouth and can fight effectively against plaque and other damaging agents.
   2. Cacao husk pigments - extracted and utilised in Japanese food industry
   3. Pod gums
   4. Mulch – for example, Hershey’s and Vitasoil cocoa shell mulches
6. Cocoa butter
   1. Soaps and washing liquids
   2. Moisturizing lotions
   3. Lip balms
   4. Other cosmetics
   5. Sun screens
   6. Suppositories
7. Folk medicine - Cocoa is reported to be antiseptic, diuretic, ecbolic, emmenagogue and parasiticide, cacao is a folk medicine for alopecia, burns, cough, dry lips eyes, fever, listlessness, malaria, nephrosis, parturition, pregnancy, rheumatism, snake bites and wounds.
8. Possible use in the cosmeceutical and nutraceutical industries