**History of Cocoa Bean:**
– Cacao tree originates from the Amazon rainforest.
– Domesticated over 5,300 years ago by the Mayo-Chinchipe culture in South America.
– Introduced to Mesoamerica.
– Consumed in pre-Hispanic cultures for spiritual ceremonies.
– Wild cacao still grows in the Amazon and Orinoco basins.
**Cocoa Bean Production:**
– Global production in 2020 reached 5.8 million tonnes.
– Ivory Coast leads at 38%, followed by Ghana and Indonesia.
– West Africa produces 81% of the world’s cocoa.
– Three main varieties are Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario.
– 29% of global cocoa production met sustainability standards in 2016.
**Cocoa Bean Processing:**
– To produce 1kg of chocolate, 300-600 cocoa beans are processed.
– Beans are roasted, cracked, and deshelled into nibs.
– Nibs are ground into chocolate liquor or cocoa paste.
– Cocoa butter, sugar, and sometimes vanilla are added to make chocolate.
– Cocoa contains phytochemicals like flavanols and theobromine.
**Cocoa Bean Trade:**
– Cocoa beans, butter, and powder are traded on futures markets.
– London focuses on West African cocoa, while New York on Southeast Asian cocoa.
– Initiatives like SWISSCO, GISCO, and Beyond Chocolate support sustainable cocoa production.
– Deforestation due to cocoa production is a concern, especially in West Africa.
– Cocoa contributes significantly to economies like Nigeria’s.
**Cocoa Bean Derivatives:**
– Cocoa paste is ground cocoa beans.
– Cocoa butter is a pale, edible fat.
– Cocoa solids contain notable phytochemicals.
– Cocoa powder is made by removing cocoa butter from ground seeds.
– Cocoa beans are technically seeds, not beans or legumes.
The cocoa bean (technically cocoa seed) or simply cocoa (/ˈkoʊ.koʊ/), also called cacao (/kəˈkaʊ/), is the dried and fully fermented seed of Theobroma cacao, the cacao tree, from which cocoa solids (a mixture of nonfat substances) and cocoa butter (the fat) can be extracted. Cocoa trees are native to the Amazon rainforest. They are the basis of chocolate and Mesoamerican foods including tejate, an indigenous Mexican drink.
The cacao tree was first domesticated at least 5,300 years ago by the Mayo-Chinchipe culture in South America, before it was introduced in Mesoamerica. Cacao was consumed by pre-Hispanic cultures in spiritual ceremonies and its beans were a common currency in Mesoamerica. The cacao tree grows in a limited geographical zone; today, West Africa produces nearly 81% of the world's crop. The three main varieties of cocoa plant are Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario; Forastero is the most widely used.
In 2020, global cocoa bean production reached 5.8 million tonnes, with Ivory Coast leading at 38% of the total, followed by Ghana and Indonesia. Cocoa beans, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder are traded on futures markets, with London focusing on West African cocoa and New York on Southeast Asian cocoa. Various international and national initiatives aim to support sustainable cocoa production, including the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa (SWISSCO), the German Initiative on Sustainable Cocoa (GISCO), and Belgium's Beyond Chocolate. At least 29% of global cocoa production was compliant with voluntary sustainability standards in 2016. Deforestation due to cocoa production remains a concern, especially in West Africa. Sustainable agricultural practices, such as agroforestry, can support cocoa production while conserving biodiversity. Cocoa contributes significantly to economies such as Nigeria's, and demand for cocoa products continues to grow steadily at over 3% annually since 2008.
To produce 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of chocolate, around 300 to 600 cocoa beans are processed. The beans are roasted, cracked, and deshelled, resulting in pieces called nibs, which are ground into a thick paste known as chocolate liquor or cocoa paste. The liquor is processed into chocolate by adding cocoa butter, sugar, and sometimes vanilla and lecithin. Alternatively, cocoa powder and cocoa butter can be separated using a hydraulic press or the Broma process. Treating cocoa with an alkali produces Dutch process cocoa, which has a different flavor profile than untreated cocoa. Roasting can also be done on the whole bean or nib, affecting the final flavor. Cocoa contains phytochemicals like flavanols, procyanidins, and other flavonoids, and flavanol-rich chocolate and cocoa products may have a small blood pressure lowering effect. The beans also contain theobromine and a small amount of caffeine. The tree takes five years to grow and has a typical lifespan of 100 years.