The physicochemical and biochemical changes during the fermentation of four clones and two native varieties of Theobroma cacao L. were studied. Fermentation was performed in traditional wood cubes. During fermentation, the cotyledon pH decreased, and the temperature increased to more than 10 °C above the ambient temperature (47 °C). The fermentation index (FI) increased in the clones C1, C4, C8, C9, and Guayaquil (G) to close to one at 120 h of fermentation. For the FI of the cocoa Criollo (Cr), a value of 2.5 was proposed according to the spectrophotometric scan performance. The total polyphenol content increased in all the samples from 21 (C8) to 70 (Cr) % in a comparison of the TPC at T0 and T120, respectively. The total flavonoid content increased from 16 (C8) to 51% in Guayaquil (G) during the fermentation period. In the case of the methylxanthines, such as theobromine and caffeine, both quantities decreased. The theobromine content decreased in all the samples from 6 (G) to 31% (C8). The caffeine content decreased in all the samples from 3% in Cr to 25% in C1 and G after fermentation. The antioxidant capability did not change after 120 h of fermentation, and the amount of methylxanthines did not affect the antioxidant potential of the fermented cocoa. The FTIR scan of the fat-free cocoa showed significant differences between the unfermented and fermented beans, and several peaks assigned to carbohydrates and proteins decreased.

Cocoa drying is the post-harvest thermal process used to condition the beans to a moisture content between 6.5 and 7% for storage and further processing. Convective drying is an energy-intensive process where time and temperature are considered critical factors for the degradation of bioactive compounds in edible products. In the present study, the energy parameters, vibrational spectroscopy, and changes in bioactive compounds of cocoa beans were studied during thin-layer hot air drying at 50 °C, 60 °C, and 70 °C. Moisture loss, specific energy consumption (SEC), energy efficiency, total phenolics (TPs), total flavonoids (TFs), and antioxidant activity (DPPH) were determined. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (ATR) was used to characterize the samples, and a multivariate analysis was applied to find interactions among the components. The obtained SEC was 18,947.30–24,469.51 kJ/kg, and the energy efficiency was 9.73–12.31%. When the temperature was 70 °C, the best values for SEC and energy efficiency were obtained. The results also showed that the convective drying generated changes in the TP levels for the three temperatures, mainly after 300 min, with maximum levels between 360 and 600 min, at 70 °C; however, it does not have a clear relationship with the TFs and the antioxidant activity. The FT-IR and the multivariate analysis revealed changes in several signals in the 1800 to 400 cm⁻¹ range, confirming the variation in the associated signal with phenolic compounds.

The artisanal activities that are part of alternative tourism offer room for improvement through the strengthening of their value chain, with a focus on social economy. The objective of this article was to identify the theoretical approaches to the value chain and the social solidarity economy in artisanal activities as part of alternative tourism, in order to provide information for empirical study. A systematic review of the literature was carried out using the PRISMA 2020 declaration checklist as guide. Search strategies were designed for the Science Direct, Web of Science and Redalyc databases. The results provided theoretical information on the study variables, where models like value chain impact, creation of shared value and fair trade, among others, stand out; as well as some opportunities to develop strategies based on the variables.

Este estudio aborda la optimización del sistema de bombeo hidroneumático en una unidad académica del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), en el marco del cumplimiento de las políticas institucionales de eficiencia energética. El estudio consistió en la realización de un diagnóstico de eficiencia energética (DEE) el cual tiene los siguientes pasos: 1. Recopilación de información preliminar, 2. Recorrido por las instalaciones y monitoreo de parámetros, 3. Análisis de información y desarrollo de oportunidades y 4. Implementación de las oportunidades viables. El estudio de eficiencia energética reveló un alto consumo energético (66,640 kWh/año) debido a fallas operativas, como encendidos y apagados frecuentes, que afectaban la vida útil de las bombas. Se identificaron causas principales, como un tanque hidráulico dañado y fugas en el sistema, además de la falta de monitoreo continuo de los parámetros de funcionamiento. Se implementaron mejoras, como la reparación de fugas, el mantenimiento de las bombas y la optimización del ciclo de trabajo. El monitoreo de parámetros posteriores indicó una significativa disminución del consumo eléctrico, de 66,640 kWh/año a 3,875 kWh/año, lo que representa una reducción del 94.2%. El estudio concluye que la implementación de un sistema de monitoreo continuo es esencial para detectar desviaciones operativas tempranas, optimizar el consumo energético y extender la vida útil de los equipos.