Knowra Theobroma cacao Theobroma cacao Theobroma cacao is a tropical evergreen tree native to the Americas. Its seeds, called cacao beans, are fermented and processed into cocoa and chocolate.
Cacao pod : The large, ridged fruit of the cacao tree, containing rows of seeds embedded in sweet pulp. Each pod encloses the seeds harvested for chocolate making.
Cacao fermentation : The microbial breakdown of cacao pulp and development of seed precursors that shape chocolate flavor. Fermentation initiates flavor development and reduces seed bitterness.
Upper Amazon : The upstream region of the Amazon River basin, spanning parts of western Brazil and neighboring countries. Genetic and archaeological evidence points to this region as an early center of cacao use.
Cocoa production : The agricultural and industrial chain that turns cacao harvests into cocoa and chocolate products. It encompasses the cultivation and processing built around the tree.
Cocoa and child labour : The use of children in hazardous or exploitative work on some cocoa farms, especially in West Africa. Labor abuses persist in parts of the supply chain serving cacao production.
Cacao bean : The seed of Theobroma cacao, fermented and dried before being processed into cocoa products. These seeds are the tree’s principal economic product.
Cacao drying : The reduction of moisture in fermented cacao beans, usually by sun-drying or mechanical means. Drying stabilizes fermented beans for storage and transport.
Mayo-Chinchipe culture : An ancient society of the Upper Amazon, known from archaeological sites in present-day Ecuador and Peru. Residues at its sites provide early evidence of cacao use.
Cocoa farming : The cultivation of cacao trees for their seeds, typically in tropical regions. Farmers manage the tree’s shade, pests, and harvest to produce cacao beans.
Cocoa and deforestation : The clearing of forests to establish or expand cocoa farms, with impacts on biodiversity and carbon storage. Expanding cacao cultivation can replace tropical forest.
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