Flavanols, proanthocyanidins and antioxidant activity changes during cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) roasting as affected by temperature and time of processing

F Ioannone; C D Di Mattia; M De Gregorio; M Sergi; M Serafini; G Sacchetti

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.11.019

Flavanols, proanthocyanidins and antioxidant activity changes during cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) roasting as affected by temperature and time of processing

Food Chem. 2015 May 1:174:256-62. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.11.019. Epub 2014 Nov 8.

Authors

F Ioannone¹, C D Di Mattia², M De Gregorio², M Sergi², M Serafini³, G Sacchetti⁴

Affiliations

¹ Agricultural Research Centre, Functional Food and Metabolic Stress Prevention Laboratory, CRA-NUT, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178 Rome, Italy; Faculty of Biosciences and Technologies for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via C.R. Lerici 1, Mosciano Stazione, 64023 Teramo, Italy.
² Faculty of Biosciences and Technologies for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via C.R. Lerici 1, Mosciano Stazione, 64023 Teramo, Italy.
³ Agricultural Research Centre, Functional Food and Metabolic Stress Prevention Laboratory, CRA-NUT, Via Ardeatina 546, 00178 Rome, Italy.
⁴ Faculty of Biosciences and Technologies for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via C.R. Lerici 1, Mosciano Stazione, 64023 Teramo, Italy. Electronic address: gsacchetti@unite.it.

PMID: 25529678
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.11.019

Abstract

The effect of roasting on the content of flavanols and proanthocyanidins and on the antioxidant activity of cocoa beans was investigated. Cocoa beans were roasted at three temperatures (125, 135 and 145 °C), for different times, to reach moisture contents of about 2 g 100 g(-1). Flavanols and proanthocyanidins were determined, and the antioxidant activity was tested by total phenolic index (TPI), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and total radical trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP) methods. The rates of flavanol and total proanthocyanidin loss increased with roasting temperatures. Moisture content of the roasted beans being equal, high temperature-short time processes minimised proanthocyanidins loss. Moisture content being equal, the average roasting temperature (135 °C) determined the highest TPI and FRAP values and the highest temperature (145 °C) determined the lowest TPI values. Moisture content being equal, low temperature-long time roasting processes maximised the chain-breaking activity, as determined by the TRAP method.

Keywords: Antioxidant activity; Cocoa; Flavanols; Procyanidins; Roasting.

MeSH terms

Antioxidants / pharmacology*
Cacao / chemistry*
Flavonols / analysis*
Food Handling
Phenols / analysis
Proanthocyanidins / analysis*
Temperature

Substances

Antioxidants
Flavonols
Phenols
Proanthocyanidins
proanthocyanidin