From Green to Ripe: Untargeted UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS Lipidomic Profiling of Cacao Seed and Pod Husk during Maturation

Cacao fruit maturation directly influences the chemical composition of tissues that are central to chocolate production and byproduct valorization, yet its lipid remodeling remains unexplored. Here, an untargeted UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS lipidomics workflow was used to map lipid profile changes in cacao seeds and cacao pod husk (CPH) across three maturation stages (green, intermediate, and ripe). In seeds, 290 lipid species were annotated, with most lipid classes showing lower relative abundance at the mature stage. Major cocoa butter triacylglycerols exhibited selective accumulation, revealing that maturation involves targeted lipid reorganization rather than a generalized increase in storage lipids. In CPH, 224 lipid species were annotated, with limited variation at the class level but pronounced species-specific changes; steryl esters, diacylglycerols, hydroxy fatty acids, and acylated sterol glycosides increased during ripening. These trends indicate distinct metabolic roles for storage and protective tissues during cacao development.