TECHNOLOGIES OF COCOA PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING IN THE SOUTH OF BAHIA FROM 1920 TO 2020

Abstract

This work deals with the evolution of the main techniques and technologies used in the production and processing of cocoa in the southern region of Bahia between 1920 and 2020, through historical sources and patent registrations. Searches were carried out in the Brazilian National Register of Cultivars and in the UPOV databases. For patents related to cocoa, the Questel Orbit Intelligence web tool, which concentrates patent information from several countries, was used. The methods of production, harvesting and processing of cocoa beans have remained surprisingly unchanged over several decades, with few mechanization initiatives, incremental improvements in tool design and occasional use of new drying and fermentation technologies. The list of patents relating to cocoa is dominated by multinational companies, especially Nestlé, and tends to be located downstream, removed from activities in producing countries.