Effect of Cocoa Roasting on Chocolate Polyphenols Evolution (original) (raw)
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European Food Research and Technology
Chocolate is one of the most desired confectionery products in the world. Its production technology includes a series of processes conducted in appropriate conditions of the temperature and time. Most of these operations contribute to the degradation of valuable, natural and desired bioactive compounds; hence, producers search for novel technologies and solutions that would enable minimizing these losses. In 2012, the EFSA confirmed advantages of components within cocoa powder to health. This review is focused on analyzing the effect of particular stages of the production process, with consideration given over to the kind of raw ingredients of the finished product on the bioactive compound's make-up in the products made in cocoa beans products subjected to the "traditional" process using both high and low temperatures. Due to the high temperature used during roasting, it is witch is one of the main processes affecting both the quality and sensory properties of the cocoa beans and products made from them. Each variety differs in size and beans color, resistance to the climatic resistance, and beans composition. Collected data allow us to establish which stages and which processes require further studies and analyses to be most useful for chocolate manufacturers not only in terms of the manufacturing repeatability of products, but also in developing an assortment of products having a positive effect on human health and well-being.
Polyphenols in Cocoa and Cocoa Products: Is There a Link between Antioxidant Properties and Health?
Molecules, 2008
Cocoa and cocoa products have received much attention due to their significant polyphenol contents. Cocoa and cocoa products, namely cocoa liquor, cocoa powder and chocolates (milk and dark chocolates) may present varied polyphenol contents and possess different levels of antioxidant potentials. For the past ten years, at least 28 human studies have been conducted utilizing one of these cocoa products. However, questions arise on which of these products would deliver the best polyphenol contents and antioxidant effects. Moreover, the presence of methylxanthines, peptides, and minerals could synergistically enhance or reduce antioxidant properties of cocoa and cocoa products. To a greater extent, cocoa beans from different countries of origins and the methods of preparation (primary and secondary) could also partially influence the antioxidant polyphenols of cocoa products. Hence, comprehensive studies on the aforementioned factors could provide the understanding of health-promoting activities of cocoa or cocoa products components.
Journal of agricultural …, 2007
Chocolate and other cocoa-containing products are a rich source of polyphenols. This paper describes an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method that can separate and quantify in 3 min six of the major chocolate polyphenols: catechin; epicatechin; B2 (epicatechin-4 -8-epicatechin); B5 (epicatechin-4 -6-epicatechin); C1 (epicatechin-4 -8-epicatechin-4 -8-epicatechin); and tetramer D (epicatechin-4 -8-epicatechin-4 -8-epicatechin-4 -8-epicatechin). A survey of 68 chocolate samples indicated that there was a strongly predictive relationship between epicatechin and the other individual polyphenols, especially procyanidin B2 (R 2 ) 0.989), even though the chocolates came from varied sources and manufacturers. The relationship was less strong with catechin, and so further work to explore the reasons for this difference was performed. Chiral analysis on a subset of 23 chocolates showed that (-)-epicatechin had a predictive relationship with (+)-catechin in line with the other polyphenols, but not with (-)-catechin (the predominant form). This indicates that (-)-catechin is the most affected by manufacturing conditions, possibly formed through epimerization from (-)-epicatechin during processing. The results show that epicatechin concentrations can be used to predict the content of other polyphenols, especially B2 and C1, and total polyphenols content. Finally, the (-)-catechin content is not predictable from the epicatechin content, and it is concluded that this is the main form of polyphenol that varies according to manufacturing conditions and cocoa origin.
Cocoa polyphenols: Can we consider cocoa and chocolate as potential functional food?
Chocolate has been consumed as confection, aphrodisiac, and folk medicine for many years before science proved its potential health benefiting effects. Main compounds of cocoa and chocolate which contribute to human health are polyphenols that act as antioxidants and have potential anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, antihepatotoxic, antibacterial, antiviral, antiallergenic, and anticarcinogenic properties. This paper gives a short overview of scientific literature regarding cocoa polyphenols and influence of cocoa and chocolate on human health. Although research on health benefits of dark chocolate and cocoa is quite extensive nowadays and shows potentially beneficial effects of dark chocolate and cocoa, there are still lots of unknowns and some controversies. This is obviously an area that needs more research in order to determine factual influence of chocolate on health.
Effect of Fermentation and Drying on Cocoa Polyphenols
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2015
Cocoa seed polyphenols have demonstrated interesting beneficial effects in humans. Most of polyphenols contained in fresh seeds are chemically modified during fermentation, drying, and cocoa powder or chocolate production. The improvement of these procedures to obtain a highpolyphenol-content cocoa is highly desirable. To this aim, a field investigation on the effect of fermentation and natural drying on fine flavor National cocoa (cacao Nacional) was performed. Cocoa seeds were fermented for 6 days and, every day, samples were sun dried and analyzed for polyphenol content and antioxidant power. During the first 2 days of fermentation, Folin-Ciocalteau and FRAP test evidenced a significant reduction of polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, respectively. Changes during the following days of fermentation were less significant. Epicatechin, the most studied member of the catechin family, followed a similar pathway of degradation. Data confirmed the high impact of fermentation and drying on cocoa seed polyphenols. Fermentation and drying are, in the one hand, necessary to obtain cocoa flavour and palatability but, in the other hand, are strongly compromising polyphenol content. To obtain high-polyphenol-content cocoa, the existing fermentation, drying, and manufacturing protocols should go through a systemic review to understand and modify the critical steps.
Antioxidant properties of polyphenol-rich cocoa products industrially processed
Food Research International, 2010
Fermentation and roasting are the main causes of polyphenol degradation during the process for obtaining cocoa products. In the present study, a process for obtaining polyphenol-rich cocoa products on an industrial scale is described. The process avoids the fermentation and roasting steps and includes a step for the inactivation of the enzyme Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO), which helps preserve the polyphenol content present in the raw cocoa bean. In addition, our study evaluates the antioxidant capacity and characterizes the flavonoid profile of the polyphenol-rich cocoa products obtained from the natural polyphenolrich cocoa cake. Using different protocols, we have obtained three cocoa extracts with high polyphenol content, namely extracts A (167 mg/g), B (374 mg/g) and C (787 mg/g). The scavenging capacity of the extracts was measured as their ability to bleach the stable radicals DPPH Å and ABTS Å+ while their antioxidant effect was evaluated with the FRAP assay. The results for A, B and C in the DPPH test expressed as Trolox equivalent (lmol)/mg dry weight of extract were 0.2, 1.4 and 3.0, respectively; in the ABTS test the results were 1.0, 4.7 and 9.8. The antioxidant capacity expressed as ascorbic acid equivalent (lmol)/mg dry weight of each product were 17.2, 76.1 and 207.7, respectively. The scavenging properties of cocoa powder against the superoxide anion, H 2 O 2 , HClO, and peroxynitrite were also determined. The IC 50 (lg/mL) values in the hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase test were 77.5, 12.3 and 10.3, for A, B and C, respectively, while as an HOCl scavenger the IC 50 (lg/mL) values were 225.4, 73.2 and 21.5. As a peroxynitrite anion scavenger, only extract C had a relevant effect, with IC 50 (lg/mL) values of 76.1 or 110.0 in the absence or presence of bicarbonate. None of the extracts tested showed activity in the hydrogen peroxide test, but B and C significantly increased the deoxyribose degradation in the absence of ascorbate. Likewise, none of the extracts inhibited the ferrous or copper chelating activity at 100 lg/mL, but they inhibited the lipid peroxidation in brain homogenates and human plasma through non-enzymatic generation systems, with extract C giving the best IC 50 (lg/mL) values: 17.4 and 8.1 against lipid peroxidation in brain homogenates and human plasma, respectively. In conclusion, if the extractive protocol is well characterized, defined and optimized, cocoa could constitute a source of polyphenols for enriching foods, nutraceuticals and alimentary supplements.
Predictive Relationship between Polyphenol and Nonfat Cocoa Solids Content of Chocolate
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008
Chocolate is often labeled with percent cocoa solids content. It is assumed that higher cocoa solids contents are indicative of higher polyphenol concentrations, which have potential health benefits. However, cocoa solids include polyphenol-free cocoa butter and polyphenol-rich nonfat cocoa solids (NFCS). In this study the strength of the relationship between NFCS content (estimated by theobromine as a proxy) and polyphenol content was tested in chocolate samples with labeled cocoa solids contents in the range of 20-100%, grouped as dark (n ) 46), milk (n ) 8), and those chocolates containing inclusions such as wafers or nuts (n ) 15). The relationship was calculated with regard to both total polyphenol content and individual polyphenols. In dark chocolates, NFCS is linearly related to total polyphenols (r 2 ) 0.73). Total polyphenol content appears to be systematically slightly higher for milk chocolates than estimated by the dark chocolate model, whereas for chocolates containing other ingredients, the estimates fall close to or slightly below the model results. This shows that extra components such as milk, wafers, or nuts might influence the measurements of both theobromine and polyphenol contents. For each of the six main polyphenols (as well as their sum), the relationship with the estimated NFCS was much lower than for total polyphenols (r 2 < 0.40), but these relationships were independent of the nature of the chocolate type, indicating that they might still have some predictive capabilities.
Polyphenol antioxidants in commercial chocolate bars: Is the label accurate
A B S T R A C T Polyphenols in cocoa have been shown to be responsible for beneficial health effects, especially in the cardiovascular area. Many people consume their chocolate in the form of bars, readily available in retail stores. The only information that may be useful to the consumer in choosing a healthier bar, with the exception of the nutrients, is the % cocoa solids on the label. We have examined the polyphenols in commercial bars by use of two anti-oxidant assays and corrected that value for non-fat cocoa solids, the source of the polyphenols in the chocolate. We also separated and analyzed by HPLC the two major monomeric poly-phenol antioxidants, epicatechin and catechin. We found a significant and linear relationship between label % cocoa solids and the antioxidant assays as well as the sum of the mono-mers. Consumers can thus rationally choose chocolate bars based on % cocoa solids on the label.
Frontiers in Immunology
Chocolate is a product processed from cocoa rich in flavonoids, antioxidant compounds, and bioactive ingredients that have been associated with both its healthy and sensory properties. Chocolate production consists of a multistep process which, starting from cocoa beans, involves fermentation, drying, roasting, nib grinding and refining, conching, and tempering. During cocoa processing, the naturally occurring antioxidants (flavonoids) are lost, while others, such as Maillard reaction products, are formed. The final content of antioxidant compounds and the antioxidant activity of chocolate is a function of several variables, some related to the raw material and others related to processing and formulation. The aim of this mini-review is to revise the literature on the impact of full processing on the in vitro antioxidant activity of chocolate, providing a critical analysis of the implications of processing on the evaluation of the antioxidant effect of chocolate in in vivo studies in humans.
Cocoa polyphenols and their potential benefits for human health
Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2012
This paper compiles the beneficial effects of cocoa polyphenols on human health, especially with regard to cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, metabolic disorders, and cancer prevention. Their antioxidant properties may be responsible for many of their pharmacological effects, including the inhibition of lipid peroxidation and the protection of LDL-cholesterol against oxidation, and increase resistance to oxidative stress. The phenolics from cocoa also modify the glycemic response and the lipid profile, decreasing platelet function and inflammation along with diastolic and systolic arterial pressures, which, taken together, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular mortality. Cocoa polyphenols can also modulate intestinal inflammation through the reduction of neutrophil infiltration and expression of different transcription factors, which leads to decreases in the production of proinflammatory enzymes and cytokines. The phenolics from cocoa may thus protect against diseases in whi...