Dados do Trabalho

Título

Mineral elements in cocoa beans from different cultivation systems

Introdução

Cocoa beans are an important commodity for many countries around the world. They are a rich source of minerals important for human health, such as K, P, Mg, Ca and Fe. The mineral content in cocoa beans can vary due to factors such as geographic origin, soil fertilization, cocoa tree genetics and environmental conditions. This study evaluated the content of phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and iron (Fe) in cocoa beans grown in cabruca and full systems.

Material e Métodos

Cocoa fruits were collected from 12 cocoa-producing farms located in nine different municipalities in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Among the farms studied, six have cocoa production in the cabruca system, and six farms cultivate cocoa in full-sun systems. The samples were digested in nitric-perchloric solution and the chemical elements were quantified using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The data was submitted to analysis of variance (p<0.05) using the R software.

Resultados e Discussão

Only the Fe content in cocoa beans was influenced by the cultivation system, with a higher content observed in the cabruca system (25.88 ± 10.51 mg/kg) compared to full sun (18.86 ± 3.71 mg/kg). The P concentration varied between 5.14 ± 0.37 and 5.23 ± 0.38 g/kg and the K concentration varied between 9.51 ± 0.70 and 9.75 ± 0.66 g/kg. The potassium content found in this study is in accordance with the literature. In this study it was concluded that the management of the cabruca system favored the accumulation of iron in cocoa beans.

Conclusão

In this study it was concluded that the management of the cabruca system favored the accumulation of iron in cocoa beans.