Optimization of a macro-element extraction system from cocoa honey samples using ultrasound and Doehlert design with...

Cocoa honey is a product obtained at the beginning of the cocoa bean fermentation process that gets its name from its sweet flavor. Information about its chemical composition is still rarely explored in the literature. A simple, fast, and low-cost procedure of sample preparation based on ultrasound extraction and MIP OES was developed to determine the amounts of Ca, K, Mg, and P found in cocoa honey samples. The extraction conditions were optimized using Doehlert design with multiple responses. The best values were obtained using 4.0 mL of HNO₃ at a concentration of 5.62 mol L^-1, 1.15 mL of H₂O₂, and 29.6 min of extraction time. Samples of cocoa honey sold in Ilhéus, Bahia (Brazil), were analyzed using the proposed procedure and recoveries of between 93 % and 112 % were obtained when compared to the reference method, thus demonstrating the viability of this technique for determining mineral nutrients in cocoa honey.