1H NMR study of fermented cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) beans
Augusta Caligiani1, Domenico Acquotti, Martina Cirlini
1Dipartimento di Chimica Organica e Industriale, Università di Parma, Via Usberti 17A, 43124 Parma, Italy.
Abstract:
This study reports for the first time the metabolic profile of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) beans using the (1)H NMR technique applied to polar extracts of fermented cocoa beans. The simultaneous detection and quantification of amino acids, polyalcohols, organic acids, sugars, methylxanthines, catechins, and phenols were obtained by assigning the major signals of the spectra for different varieties of cocoa beans (Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario) from different countries (Ecuador, Ghana, Grenada, and Trinidad). The data set obtained, representative of all classes of soluble compounds of cocoa, was useful to characterize the fermented cocoa beans as a function of the variety and geographic origin.
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