Wood ash and green-synthesized nanoparticles as bio-detoxifiers in stored cocoa beans varieties

Cocoa beans, although greatly important to the economy of many countries across the globe, are prone to fungal and bio-toxin contamination at storage, but must be protected using safer management options. Freshly prepared dried fermented F3 Amazon and CRIN Tc cocoa beans varieties were treated in vivo with wood ash (20 g and 40 g neem and scent leaf ash/kg cocoa beans) and green synthesized neem and scent leaf silver nanoparticles, AgNPs (75ml and 100ml AgNPs/kg cocoa beans) and stored for 120 days under varied storage conditions (29-34 ^o C/RH 55–65% and 29-31 ^o C/RH 85–95%). Fungal multitoxin/secondary metabolite concentrations in the treated beans were determined before and after the period of storage using standard methods. Results obtained from the study were recorded and statistically analyzed. Ash and AgNP treatments applied on the stored cocoa beams in vivo significantly reduced the levels of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium mycotoxins (P ≤ 0.05) on the F3 Amazon and CRIN Tc cocoa beans varieties. Neem ash treatments at 20 and 40 g/kg cocoa beans were most effective for the control of storage moulds toxin production. The treatments however still need to be subjected to cytotoxicity and sensory analyses to confirm there suitability for cocoa beans preservation.