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Cocoa extract with high content of flavan 3-ols, procyanidins and methylxanthines

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Abstract

The health benefits of cocoa depend on the flavan 3-ols, procyanidins, and methylxanthines, which decrease from the early stages of cocoa bean processing. The objective of this research was to obtain a cocoa extract high in these compounds with (−)-epicatechin as the primary reference. An evaluation of two pretreatments of cocoa beans with a control after harvesting was made: A (untreated/control), B (Frozen), and C (Polyphenol oxidase inhibition), all followed by dehydration at 45 °C until obtaining a cocoa powder. In terms of (−)-epicatechin content, the best pretreatment was put on to a hydroalcoholic extraction. Flavan 3-ols, procyanidins, methylxanthines, and total polyphenols content (TPC), were quantified in the cocoa powders and the hydroalcoholic extract. The results showed that the control (A), significantly conserves the (−)-epicatechin (24.964 ± 0.400 mg/g) ca. 7 times more than conventionally sun-dried and fermented beans (3.742 ± 1.977 mg/g) ca. The hydroalcoholic extraction increased the (−)-epicatechin ca. 3 times more based on pretreatment A (84.738 mg/g).

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Availability of data and material

The data obtained in this study are available.

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Not Applicable.

Abbreviations

CNCH:

Compañía Nacional de Chocolates S.A.S.;

IMC-67 :

Iquitos Marañon Collection-67

CCN-51:

Colección Castro Naranjal-51

ICS-95:

Imperial college selection-95

SSC-61:

Selección Colombia Corpoica-61

PPO:

Polyphenol oxidase;

TPC:

Total polyphenol content

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed and developed by personnel from R&D and Quality department of Compañía Nacional de Chocolates S.A.S (Medellín, Colombia).

Funding

This study was financed by Compañía Nacional de Chocolates S.A.S (Medellín, Colombia).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación Desarrollo y Calidad CIDCA, Compañía Nacional de Chocolates S.A.S, Km 2 Vía Belén Autopista Medellín-Bogotá, Rionegro Antioquia, Colombia

    Elly Acosta-Otálvaro, Wilmar Valencia-Gallego & Juan Camilo Mazo-Rivas

  2. Laboratorio de Fitoquímica y Alimentos Saludables, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos, CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Universitario de Espinardo 25. 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain

    Cristina García-Viguera

Authors
  1. Elly Acosta-Otálvaro
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  2. Wilmar Valencia-Gallego
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  3. Juan Camilo Mazo-Rivas
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  4. Cristina García-Viguera
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Contributions

Elly Acosta-Otálvaro performed experiments, conducted data analysis, and interpreting results. She wrote most of the manuscript. Wilmar Valencia-Gallego has made substantial contributions in the conception, design of the work, acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of field and laboratory data. Juan Camilo Mazo Rivas has contributed to the construction, conceptualization, and direction of the project. He is the person who follows up on all aspects related to the project, resolving doubts and advising on methodology, contributing with his experience and knowledge in the consolidation of guiding elements of the research. Cristina García-Viguera has contributed to the writing, interpretation, and analysis of the results. She has revised the paper and approved the final version of the manuscript before publication. In addition to having an advisory and guiding role in all aspects of the work.

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Correspondence to Elly Acosta-Otálvaro.

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Acosta-Otálvaro, E., Valencia-Gallego, W., Mazo-Rivas, J.C. et al. Cocoa extract with high content of flavan 3-ols, procyanidins and methylxanthines. J Food Sci Technol 59, 1152–1161 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-021-05119-z

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