World Cocoa Foundation Research Update: April 2008
Material Transfer Agreements; Andrew Daymond visited Jan Engels and his colleagues at Bioversity International in January 2008 to discuss the potential for implementing Material Transfer Agreements within ICQC, R. It was agreed that the most appropriate document to use is the “Standard Material Transfer Agreement” (SMTA) with footnotes that apply to non-Annex I crops. It was also agreed that since the Cocoa Research Unit (CRU) in Trinidad is signing an agreement with the Governing Body of the International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources then it would be appropriate for ICQC, R and CRU to produce a letter of agreement stating the basis on which materials will be shared.
Research and Development Activities: Physiology. Experiments conducted on genetic variation in photosynthesis in cocoa were completed and are currently being written up for publication.
PCR Virus Detection. Extracts from leaf samples infected with different strains of Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus are in the process of being sequenced by a research student working in this area. The results will form the basis of new PCR primers to be used for CSSV detection.
RESEARCH ON THE WEB: From NutraIngredients: Ghanaian cocoa hybrids have no nutritional drawbacks. By Jess Halliday. 17/03/2008- Four hybrid cocoa species developed in Ghana to have improved resistance to pest damage during storage have similar nutritional properties to conventional cocoa, says a study that topples a barrier to commercial trade. Ghana is one of the world's largest cocoa producers. According to the International Cocoa Organisation the country's commercial crop in 2005/2006 reached a record high of 646,000 tonnes. However while cocoa consumption has increased in the last decade, the researchers of the study from the University of Nottingham, UK, say that yield has been on the decline. To combat this, and to help deal with disease and pest resistance issues, a number of hybrids have been developed. The researchers say that while these are not yet in commercial use, they are likely to be introduced in the near future. Full article.
Dark chocolate gets pulses racing. By Linda Rano. 0/04/2008- Consumption of dark chocolate and cocoamay not boost hearthealth, and could actually increase pulse rates, according to new research. The research, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, examined the short terms effects of dark chocolate and cocoa on variables associated with neuropsychological functioning and cardiovascular health in healthy older adults. The researchers noted that in recent years there has been an increased interest in the potential health-related benefits of antioxidant and phytochemical-rich dark chocolate and cocoa. Indeed, the health benefits of antioxidant-rich chocolate have received much recognition in recent years, with positive findings from a number of studies impacting on consumer awareness. Chocolate manufacturers are using high cocoa content (over 70 per cent) as a means of differentiation, and cocoa has also received attention for its potential in functional food applications. However, whilst the investigation failed to support the predicted beneficial effects of short-term dark chocolate and cocoa on any of the neuropsychological or cardiovascular health-related variables in the study, consumption of dark chocolate and cocoa was "associated with significantly higher pulse rates at three and six week treatment assessments," stated the researchers from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia Neuropsychology Associates, and the Free Clinic of Central Virginia. Full article.
ICCO places more focus on sustainable cocoa By Linda Rano 03/04/2008- Sustainable cocoa production and standards were the focus of the first meeting of a working group for the Roundtable on a Sustainable Cocoa Economy (RSCE), organised last month by the International Cocoa Organisation. Sustainability in the cocoa industry is a major issue worldwide for everyone involved from cocoa farmers to chocolate manufacturers. A round table meeting to discuss sustainability that took place in Accra, Ghana, last year brought together over 200 participants from 25 countries. Representatives from European confectionery firms were joined by cocoa farmers, cooperatives, traders, exporters, financial institutions and government and non-government organisations. The success of this meeting prompted the ICCO Council to agree the formation of the working group to help maintain the momentum and plan ahead for the next RSCE. Sustainability is a major concern for western confectioners under pressure from high commodity costs. Protecting the supply is vital to maintaining margins. Full article.
Can flavonoid-rich chocolate protect against heart disease? By Linda Rano. 4/28/2008- A study to be conducted by the University of East Anglia (UEA), UK, will examine whether adding flavonoids found in cocoa to the diet, gives additional protection against heart disease on top of that provided by prescription drugs. A Belgian chocolate-maker has helped formulate a chocolate bar containing a higher dose of the protective compounds found in cocoa than in standard chocolate. Likewise soy has also been added, which is another good source of flavonoids. The focus group for the research will be 150 postmenopausal women under the age of 70 with type 2 diabetes. Deaths due to heart disease increase rapidly after the menopause and having type 2 diabetes increases this risk by a further three and a half times, according to the researchers. Full article.
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT: 2008 INDONESIAN COCOA SYMPOSIUM will be held in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia on the 22-24 of October, 2008. The theme for the symposium is “Accelerating Plantation Revitalization for Achieving Sustainable and Supreme Cocoa Agroindustry.” A field trip will be held to a cocoa producing area and a chocolate industry in Bali. Fee: $200 US, excluding field trip.
The Symposium is organized by the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute “Pusat Penelitian Kopi dan kakao Indonesia.” J. PB. Sudirman No. 90, Jember 68118, Indonesia Telp. =62 331 757130 Fax. = 62 331 757131 E-mail: iccri@iccri.net Website: http//www.iccri.net
CACAONET: Brief note on the Expert Consultation meeting on the establishment and composition of the Global Strategic Cacao, at the University of Reading from 10-13 March 2008. From Jan Engels, j.engels@cgiar.org CacaoNet Coordinator, Bioversity International. As part of the process that CacaoNet has initiated to formulate the global cacao conservation strategy a group of experts was invited to address the following broad objectives: 1) the scope and composition of the Global Strategic Cacao Collection; 2) to propose selection principles and criteria for the identification of the accessions that will compose the Global Collection; 3) to suggest a process for selecting the accessions; and 4) to propose an outline for the Global Conservation Strategy document.
The meeting was able to achieve the objectives. An agreement at the beginning of the meeting to work towards the establishment of a Global Strategic Base Collection “from scratch”, using molecular genetic information of the entire cacao genepool, rather than to build such a global collection on the existing public domain accessions that are currently be conserved at CATIE (Costa Rica) and CRU (Trinidad). The main objective of this collection will be the secure and rational long-term conservation of a representative sample of the existing genetic diversity in the (cultivated and wild) cacao genepool in an as small as possible set of accessions, adequately characterized and evaluated and readily available to all bona fide users world-wide. Details of the methodology for the identification of the distinct genetic groups of the entire cacao genepool as well as for the selection of the representative genotypes for each of these distinct groups will be further elaborated by specialists.
In addition to the establishment of the strategic long-term conservation collection the meeting agreed to also propose the development of a Global Strategic Active Collection that is made up by all the public domain accessions that will not be selected for the Global Strategic Base Collection but are available in the CATIE and CRU collections. The main objective of this dynamic collection will be to ensure that public domain accessions with valuable data and known traits and of current importance to the breeder/user community remains readily available to the user community.
The meeting also discussed an outline of the global conservation strategy of cacao and agreed on the main elements of the cacao strategy, suggested names of individuals that are proposed to write or coordinate the preparation of components of the strategy and discussed the next steps as well as a timeframe for the preparation of the final strategy document.
In summary, the expert consultation meeting was able to produce concrete, important and strategic suggestions on the way forward for the development of the global conservation strategy for cacao with the global strategic base and active collections as its core elements. These results will provide a solid basis for CacaoNet’s programme of work and with the global strategy at hand the process of creating a sustainable and solid financial basis will be greatly facilitated.