Evaluating the Potential of Liquid Smoke in Protecting Cocoa Beans against Storage Pest

Abstract

Cocoabeans damage by storage pest is a major challenge in postharvest handling and also a contributor to food waste and loss. Attempts to use synthetic chemicals to control this have generated other health and environmental problems.Meanwhile, the improper disposal of cocoapod waste has also led to phytophthora disease infection on cocoa farms. This study therefore aimed to investigate the potential of using pyrolysed cocoa pod husk as biopesticide (liquid Smoke (LS)) to protect cocoa beans against storage pests. The study was set up in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments (10%; 20%; 50%; 100 % concentrations of LS and 0 %as control). These were applied to the outer surface of mini jute sacks containing cocoa beans. A GCMS analysis of the LS detected 20 compounds. A repellence test of LS showed very strong repellence effect, repelling almost 90% of insect population. The feeding deterrence index also caused a reduction in bean damage from 22% in control to 7.65% for 100% LS-treated beans. Weight loss reduced from 2.13% in control to 0.11 % in 100% LS. LS treatment did not cause any significant change in the FFA and pH content of the beans. From the organoleptic test, LS treatment did not cause any significant change in the flavour and overall taste, and aroma acceptance. The liquid smoke, therefore, has the potential to be used for protecting cocoa beans by spraying on the outer part of jute sacks containing beans.