Theobroma cacao

Theobroma cacao (cacao tree or cocoa tree) is a small (6–12 m tall) evergreen tree in the Malvaceae family. This tree is special because its seeds, called cocoa beans, are used to make chocolate and other chocolate products like chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, and cocoa butter.

Even though the cacao tree grows naturally in the tropics of the Americas, today the biggest maker of cocoa beans is Côte d'Ivoire. People have enjoyed chocolate made from these beans for hundreds of years, and now it is loved all around the world. The cacao tree not only gives us tasty treats but also helps many communities grow and thrive.

Description

The cacao tree has long, smooth leaves that grow on the branches. Its flowers grow right on the trunk and older branches in groups. These flowers are small and pink, and tiny flies called midges pollinate them.

The cacao tree produces a fruit called a cacao pod. It is oval-shaped and turns from yellow to orange when ripe. Inside each pod are 20 to 60 seeds, called cocoa beans, which are covered in sweet white pulp. These beans are used to make chocolate. The pulp can be used to make juice, smoothies, jelly, or even an alcoholic drink. The beans also contain a lot of fat and a compound called theobromine, which works like caffeine.

Nomenclature

The name Theobroma comes from ancient Greek. It means "food of the gods." The word cacao comes from languages spoken by people in Mesoamerica, such as Nahuatl. It meant "bean of the cocoa-tree." People sometimes use the words cacao and cocoa to talk about the tree and its seeds.

Taxonomy

Theobroma cacao is one of 26 species in the Theobroma genus. It belongs to the mallow family Malvaceae. Scientists grouped cacao trees into 10 types based on where they grow and traditional names, like Amelonado and Criollo.

Distribution and domestication

Theobroma cacao, the cacao tree, grows naturally from southeastern Mexico to the Amazon basin. Cacao was most likely first grown around Iquitos in modern Peru and Ecuador over 5000 years ago. People liked the sweet part around the beans, which they ate or turned into a mild drink.

Cacao trees grow best in humid forests, often under bigger trees. Even when cacao trees are left after farming, they mix in so well with wild trees that it’s hard to know if they were ever farmed.

Cultivation

Cocoa beans are grown on farms all around the world. Many small farmers grow them, and some big farms do too. It takes four to five years for a cacao tree to start making pods. A mature tree can have up to 6,000 flowers but only about 20 pods each year. To make 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cocoa paste, you need about 1,200 seeds from 40 pods.

There are three main types of cacao beans used for making chocolate: Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario. The Criollo type is rare and expensive, and it was used by the ancient Maya. Most chocolate today uses Forastero beans because they are stronger, better at fighting disease, and less expensive. Big chocolate companies like Hershey's, Nestlé, and Mars use these beans to make chocolate. They harvest, ferment, dry, and roast the beans to create chocolate.

Production

In 2023, the world made about 5.6 million tonnes of cocoa beans. Ivory Coast made the most, with 42.5% of all cocoa beans. Other important places for cocoa were Ghana with 11.7% and Indonesia with 11.5% of the world's cocoa.

Conservation

Cacao trees face many challenges from pests, diseases, and climate change. Scientists use special collections called genebanks to save different types of cacao plants. These collections help create new varieties that can survive better. Some areas where cacao grows are protected, like national parks. Scientists are also looking at other places, such as near Iquitos in Peru, that might be good for growing cacao in the future.

There are many pests and diseases that can harm cacao trees. These include insects, fungi, and viruses. Scientists are working to find ways to keep cacao trees healthy.

Genome

The genome of the cacao tree has two sets of chromosomes. It is made up of 430 million base pairs arranged in 10 chromosome pairs. Scientists first announced a draft of this genome in 2010. They found it contains about 28,798 genes that make proteins. This is more than the roughly 23,000 protein-coding genes in the human genome. Many of these genes help make important flavor compounds like flavonoids, aromatic terpenes, theobromine, and polyphenols. These compounds help give chocolate its quality.

Researchers study the cacao genome to help grow better cacao plants. They want plants that can resist diseases and survive in changing climates. In recent years, scientists have used advanced tools to change the DNA of cacao plants. They aim to make them stronger in hot weather. This is important for growing cacao in a world with global warming.

History of cultivation

The cacao tree grows in the Amazon rainforest. People first started growing it more than 5,000 years ago in what is now southeast Ecuador. Later, it reached Mesoamerica. Early cultures there made special drinks from cacao. We know people used cacao as far back as 1900 BC in places like Veracruz and Chiapas, Mexico.

In ancient times, people valued cacao for its taste and for special rituals. The Maya and Aztec peoples thought cacao was a gift from the gods. They even used cacao beans as money. When Europeans first learned about chocolate, they learned from the Aztec people. After that, chocolate became popular in Europe, and people started cacao farms in places like the Caribbean.