Open AccessEvaluation of the content of bioactive compounds in cocoa beans during the fermentation process
Author(s) -
Thamires Santos Melo,
Tássia Cavalcante Pires,
João Victor Pereira Engelmann,
Alana Lúcia Oliveira Monteiro,
Leonardo Fônseca Maciel,
Eliete da Silva Bispo
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of food science and technology/journal of food science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.656
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 0975-8402
pISSN - 0022-1155
DOI - 10.1007/s13197-020-04706-w
Subject(s) - theobroma , fermentation , food science , chemistry , cocoa bean , polyphenol , raw material , antioxidant , botany , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Cocoa ( Theobroma cacao L.), one of the most important agricultural commodity products, is the key raw material for chocolate manufacturing. It is a source naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds and have been widely studied for their beneficial effects to human health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fermentation time required to obtain more bioactive compounds and higher antioxidant activity in order to propose a mixture of unfermented and fermented cocoa beans in varying concentrations. Samples were collected every 12 h over a fermentation period of 144 h and evaluated according to their physico-chemical characteristics, as well as the content of bioactive compounds. It was verified that after 48 h of fermentation occurred a significant reduction in slate seeds, the appearance of partially fermented beans and the elevation of acidity and temperature. Until this period, a higher content of bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity was also observed. Thus, it is possible to propose a blend of cocoa beans fermented for 48 h and completely fermented beans to elaborate functional chocolates.