The polyphenol content of cocoa beans and the products derived from them, depend on the regions in which they are grown and the processes to which they are subjected, especially temperature. The aim of the study was to compare the total content of polyphenols and antioxidant activity of chocolates obtained from roasted and unroasted cocoa beans. The chocolates produced from each of the six types of unroasted beans and each of the five types of roasted beans were investigated. The seeds came from Ghana, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Ecuador. The highest total polyphenol content was determined in cocoa beans originating from Colombia and in the chocolates obtained from them. A higher content of total polyphenols was found in unroasted cocoa beans, which indicates the influence this process had on the studied size. The ability to scavenge free DPPH radicals was at a high level in both the beans and the chocolates produced from them, irrespective of the region where the raw material was grown. A positive correlation between the total polyphenol content and the ability to scavenge free radicals was found.
Keywords: antioxidants; chocolate; cocoa; polyphenols.