Chocolate Supply Faces Cacao Virus Threat, Math Researchers Bring a Solution

There is a massive problem in West Africa, and the chocolate supply is facing a significant threat as the cacao tree virus is affecting farms and rapidly spreading in the country's regions. As much as 50% of the world's chocolates are from the West African countries of Ivory Coast and Ghana, with around 15 to 50% of the harvest destroyed by the virus.

Chocolate Supply Face Cacao Virus Threats

Researchers from the University of Texas at Arlington have shed light on the growing chocolate supply problem in West Africa, one facing the threat of a cacao virus from a pest.

The pest, otherwise known as mealybugs, spreads rapidly by being carried by the wind and infecting other trees, or by being carried by animals and other factors. Mealybugs primarily feed off cacao trees, but this results in the cacao swollen shoot virus disease (CSSVD), which significantly damages the fruits to harvest, known for being the main ingredient of chocolate.

"This virus is a real threat to the global supply of chocolate," said Benito Chen-Charpentier, professor of mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington and study author.

Ghana already lost 254 million cacao trees in recent years to prevent the spread of the virus and keep the other harvest from being infected. The current way for farmers to fight against it is to give trees vaccines, but it is expensive and could only produce a smaller harvest.

Math Researchers' Proposition for Cacao Farms

The study published in the PLOS ONE journal involved researchers proposing a mathematical solution to protect the trees and prevent further infection. This solution involves a model that computes the distance between where to plant vaccinated trees and unvaccinated ones to protect the trees vulnerable to the virus.

It is still experimental, said Chen-Charpentier, but it is a proposition that is expected to help the farmers and their cacao harvest soon.

Chocolate Development and Production

Chocolates originate from cacao trees, and the fruit's seeds, known as cocoa or cacao beans, are dried out to create a sweet delicacy. Various ways have been used to create chocolate, and the current trend centers on traditional, modern, and 3D-printed versions, which scientists developed to create crispier versions of the dessert.

While processed chocolates are known for their high sugar levels and other harmful effects, there is a healthier way of consuming the world-famous delicacy. It is known that the pure and raw version of this, dark chocolate, is healthy, and research claims that it is good for memory and boosts creativity, but it also helps bring health benefits and an immunity boost.

That being said, chocolates are a staple dessert and delicacy worldwide, known for a long time, and many developments are happening now for their production. However, farming is still the only way to get its base ingredient, the cacao beans, which are now suffering from the mealybug virus, with researchers proposing a way to fight against this issue.