Thesis (Ph. D.)--Pennsylvania State University, 1973. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Pennsylvania State University, 1972. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. S.)--Pennsylvania State University, 1975. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Pennsylvania State University, 1968. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Pennsylvania State University, 1971. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. S.)--Pennsylvania State University, 1976. / Includes bibliographical references.

Leading cocoa-consuming countries have declared that in the year 2020, they will permit imports of sustainably sourced cocoa beans only, threatening the sustainability of the cocoa farming business. Certification offers enhanced market access for sustainability of the business of cocoa bean producers in Ghana. The purpose of this case study was to explore the strategies that farm managers used to obtain certification for cocoa bean production. Seven farm managers of a cocoa producer's cooperative located in the eastern region of Ghana who consistently produced certified cocoa beans for at least 5 years participated in the study. Deming's quality management theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. Semistructured interviews constituted the primary technique for data collection. Additional data from UTZ-certified documents and the archives of the cooperative supported the process of achieving data saturation. Data were analyzed using Bengtsson's manifest content analysis framework of decontextualization, recontextualization, categorization, and compilation to arrive at conclusions. Three themes emerged from data analysis: training in farming practices and certification code of conduct, management discipline, and environmental and social sustainability. The implications of this study for social change include the potential that certification might influence a positive change in the farming practices of Ghanaian cocoa farm managers. Social change might be reflected in the adoption of sustainable production practices, improved living conditions of producers, and biodiversity conservation.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Pennsylvania State University, 1982. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Pennsylvania State University, 1968. / Includes bibliographical references.

The theoretical part of the master’s thesis is focused on a brief botanical characterization of the cacao tree and its most famous varieties discussed. Furthermore, the chemical composition of cocoa beans is described with an emphasis on theobromine and caffeine. There is also mention of the cocoa beans the cocoa bean processing technology for cocoa liquor and cocoa powder, which are then used in food industry. Additionally there is a shorta short description of the legal requirements relating to cocoa. In this part are also two chapters are devoted to the description of instrumentation of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The experimental part deals with analyzes of cocoa powder, cocoa beans, cocoa liquor and waste cocoa beans sold as a "tea mixture". A total of 10 legislation-recommended parameters have been identified in the listed raw materials, such as caffeine, theobromine and sucrose, heavy metal and potassium, fat content etc. The highest content of theobromine was determined in cocoa powder 178.363 mgl-1, caffeine in cocoa beans 16.096 mgl-1. All samples analyzed contained a little amount of sucrose as expected, the highest concentration was found in the tea mixture samples in both the water: ethanol sample of 84.069 mgl-1, and the sample solution in water of 65.897 mgl-1.