Roasting effects on phenolic content and free-radical scavenging activities of pulp preconditioned and fermented cocoa (Theobroma cacao) beans

Roasting effects on phenolic content and free-radical scavenging activities of pulp preconditioned and fermented cocoa (Theobroma cacao) beans

Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Eric Ofosu-Ansah, Agnes Simpson Budu, Henry Mensah-Brown, Jemmy Felix Takrama

Polyphenols are phytochemicals responsible for the astringency, bitterness, green flavours and antioxidant activities in Theobroma cacao beans. Polyphenols degradation in cocoa beans during roasting is crucial to the flavour outcome and it is influenced by factors such as temperature, time and pod storage. Antioxidants are compounds that help to inhibit oxidation reactions caused by free radicals such as singlet oxygen, superoxide, peroxyl radicals, hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite thereby preventing damage to the cells and tissues. Their mechanisms of action include scavenging reactive oxygen and decreasing localised oxygen concentration thereby reducing molecular oxygen’s oxidation potential, metabolising lipid peroxides to non-radical products and chelating metal ions to prevent generation of free radicals in humans. The study aimed at investigating changes in total polyphenols, anthocyanins, o-diphenols and antioxidant activity (free-radical scavenging activities) after roasting of pulp preconditioned and fermented cocoa beans using standard analytical methods. A 4× 4 full factorial design with the principal experimental factors as pod storage time (0, 3, 7 and 10 days) and roasting duration (0, 15, 30 and 45 minutes) at 120 o C were used to study the changes in the total polyphenols, anthocyanins, o-diphenols and% free-radical scavenging activities of the cocoa beans. Variable decrease in total polyphenols, odiphenols and anthocyanins were observed with increase in pre-conditioning (pod storage time) and roasting duration. However, variable trends were observed for the% free-radical scavenging activities. The total …

2015

https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=EZuX1N8AAAAJ&cstart=80&citation_for_view=EZuX1N8AAAAJ:SP6oXDckpogC

English