Food Sustainability Study in Ecuador: Using PCA Biplot and GGE Biplot

Agriculture is one of the main sectors of Ecuador’s economy, and the principal agricultural product for exportation is cocoa. Flour samples of two mixtures were taken: a total of 50 samples of 85% cocoa bean shell (harvested from a farm) mixed with 15% soy flour (Mixture 1) and 50 samples of 75% cocoa bean shell (harvested from a farm) mixed with 25% soy flour (Mixture 2). The parameters evaluated were: moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrates, ash, total dietary fiber (TDF), and biological activity. Multivariate statistical techniques, such as PCA biplots and GGE biplots, were used to present each parameter (vector) measured. The biplot techniques suggested that the flour samples corresponding to Mixture 1 indicated the most significant values of nutritional and commercial properties. The results suggest that the use of mixtures of cocoa bean shell flour with soy flour can be used as ingredients to produce new foods.