Abstract
The antioxidant activities of the beans, bean husk and pod husk of five selected cocoa hybrid lines ( viz. 1, 6, 14, 26 and 71) were determined using Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) assay. The total phenolic contents were also examined by Folin-Ciocalteu method. The FRAP values and total phenolic contents were significantly higher in bean husk and pod husk than in beans of all selected cocoa hybrid lines. Significantly higher FRAP values were observed in bean (38.43 ± 1.49 mg TE/g DW), bean husk (89.33 ± 6.77 mg TE/g DW) and pod husk (115.88 ± 5.25 mg TE/g DW) of hybrid line 71 than other selected hybrid lines. Bean of cocoa hybrid line 1 had the highest total phenolics (26.44 + 0.35 mg GAE/g DW) whereas significantly higher total phenolic content in bean husk (71.20 ± 8.78mg GAE/g DW) and pod husk (74.12 ± 2.09 mg GAE/g DW) of hybrid line 71 were observed than other selected hybrid lines. Linear relationships in bean ( R 2 = 0.87, p R2 = 0.88, p R 2 = 0.87, p The results indicated that, among all selected cocoa hybrid lines, the highest FRAP values and total phenolic contents were observed in all pod tissues (bean husk, pod husk and bean) of hybrid line 71 except total phenolic content in beans.
Highlights
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is a native species of tropical humid forest on the lower eastern equatorial slopes of the Andes in South America (Cheesman, 1944), belonging to the genus Theobroma in the family Sterculiaceae
The results indicated that, among all selected cocoa hybrid lines, the highest Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) values and total phenolic contents were observed in all pod tissues of hybrid line 71 except total phenolic content in beans
Antioxidant Activity Antioxidant activities of cocoa extracts were determined by FRAP assay
Summary
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is a native species of tropical humid forest on the lower eastern equatorial slopes of the Andes in South America (Cheesman, 1944), belonging to the genus Theobroma in the family Sterculiaceae. Cocoa is an industrially important crop since cocoa bean is the constituents of chocolate which is one of the most popular foods in the world. Cocoa is cultivated on around 6.9 million ha worldwide. Ivory Coast is the largest producer of cocoa accounting for almost 37.4% of world production (Anon, 2011). Cocoa cultivation gradually spread southward through the East Indies, and to Sri Lanka in 1798 (Nair et al, 2005). Cocoa is becoming an important export agricultural crop and is widely grown as an intercrop under coconut in Sri Lanka and it has a great demand in the local and export market. In 2009, the total cultivated extent of cocoa was 2,521 ha. The annual production of cocoa was about 2,453 Mt in 2009 (Department of Export Agriculture, 2010). The mature pod consists of thick walled pod husk and beans that comprise an outer seed coat (bean husk) together with the mucilaginous whitish pulp surrounding it and an inner
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