Access to food products is becoming more and more complex due to population growth, climate change, political and economic instability, disruptions in the global value chain, as well as changes in consumption dynamics and food insecurity. Therefore, agri-food chains face increasingly greater challenges in responding to these dynamics, where the digitalization of agri-food systems has become an innovative alternative. However, efforts to adopt and use the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution (precision agriculture, smart agriculture, the Industrial Internet of Things, and the Internet of Food, among others) are still a challenge to improve efficiency in the links of production (cultivation), processing (food production), and final consumption, from the perspective of the implementation of Food Informatics technologies that improve traceability, authenticity, consumer confidence, and reduce fraud. This systematic literature review proposes the identification of barriers and enablers for the implementation of Food Informatics technologies in the links of the agri-food chain. The PRISMA methodology was implemented for the identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion of articles from the Scopus and Clarivate databases. A total of 206 records were included in the in-depth analysis, through which a total of 34 barriers to the adoption of Food Informatics technologies (13 for the production link, 12 for the processing link, and 9 for the marketing link) and a total of 27 enablers (8 for the production link, 11 for the processing link, and 8 for the marketing link) were identified. Among the barriers analogous to the three links analyzed are privacy and information security and high investment and maintenance costs, while the analogous enablers are mainly government support.

The aim of this work was to study the microfermentation process of five cacao clones, ICS 01, ICS 95, ICS 39, TSH 565 and CCN 51, from the department of Huila, Colombia. These clones were characterized by their physicochemical properties followed by their fermentation process. The behavior of temperature, pH, total acidity, total polyphenols and fermentation index was recorded. Additionally, the physical cutting test was carried out at the end of the process, as well as the sensory evaluation of the cocoa liquor, in order to establish the sensory profile of each material. Results showed that fermentation time for clones ICS 95, ICS 01 was five days t was obtaining a standard cocoa quality for ICS 01. The other three clones ICS 39, TSH 565 and CCN 51 required six days of fermentation but a premium cocoa was obtained. The establishment of fermentation parameters allows improving final cocoa quality, and thus, increasing its commercial value.

Las características de los productos agrícolas están influenciadas por el ecosistema desde la perspectiva de los factores bióticos y abióticos, lo cuales producen en la planta respuestas fisiológicas y a su vez en los frutos propiedades fisicoquímicas únicas, que son la base para las denominaciones de origen y estrategias de agregación de valor al producto en el mercado actual. En el presente trabajo se caracterizaron morfoagronómicamente diez materiales de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) que fueron seleccionados por su destacada productividad (FSV41, FLE3, FEAR5, FSA12, FEC2, SCC23, SCC80, SCC55, ICS95 y CCN51), los cuales fueron establecidos en departamentos como Santander (931 m s. n. m.), Huila (885 m s. n. m.) y Arauca (204 m s. n. m.), principales zonas productoras de cacao en Colombia. Para la evaluación de las características físicas de materiales recolectados se utilizaron 21 descriptores cuantitativos encargados de definir la variabilidad física del fruto según el clon y el lugar donde se recolecto. Los datos recolectados fueron analizados mediante la matriz de correlación de Pearson y análisis de componentes principales, logrando identificar aquellos descriptores que más aportan a la variabilidad entre materiales (índice de mazorca, relación longitud diámetro, peso y diámetro de semilla y peso y longitud de fruto). Además, se pudo comprobar el efecto del lugar de cosecha sobre las características físicas de los materiales resaltando la importancia del estudio de adaptación previo a la siembra del material de cacao, con el objetivo de garantizar una cosecha de cacao Premium, productiva y de calidad para la industria, que compita en el mercado.

This work aimed to evaluate the impact of adding two essential oils (EO) from lemongrass (LEO) and Tahiti lime (TLEO) on the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of chitosan-based biodegradable films. Six film formulations were prepared: two controls with chitosan concentrations of 1% and 1.5% v/w, two formulations combining the two chitosan concentrations with 1% LEO v/v, and two formulations combining the two chitosan concentrations with 1% TLEO v/v. The films’ morphological, water affinity, barrier, mechanical, and thermal properties were evaluated. The films’ surface showed a heterogeneous morphology without cracks, whereas the cross-section showed a porous-like structure. Adding EO to the films promoted a 35–50% decrease in crystallinity, which was associated with an increase in the elasticity (16–35%) and a decrease in the tensile strength (9.3–29.2 MPa) and Young’s modulus (190–1555 MPa) on the films. Regarding the optical properties, the opacity of the films with TLEO increased up to 500% and 439% for chitosan concentrations of 1% and 1.5%, respectively. While the increase in opacity for the films prepared with LEO was 357% and 187%, the reduction in crystallinity also reduced the resistance of the films to thermal processes, which could be explained by the reduction in the enthalpy of fusion. The thermal degradation of the films using TLEO was higher than those where LEO was used. These results were indicative of the great potential of using TLEO and LEO in biodegradable films. Likewise, this work showed an alternative for adding value to the cultivation of Tahiti lime due to the use of its residues, which is in accordance with the circular economy model. However, it was necessary to deepen the study and the use of these essential oils in the preparation of biodegradable films.