Abstract
Recently, a huge number of studies have confirmed the important role of chocolate polyphenols in human health, underlining its beneficial effects especially in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, a thorough evaluation of chocolate phenolic profile is still lacking. This study aimed at a comprehensive characterization of dark chocolate phenolic profile, using non-targeted mass spectrometry identification. This approach allowed a tentative identification of 158 individual phenolic compounds: 67 were newly detected in dark chocolate, among these 38 were observed for the first time in chocolate as well as in cocoa beans or products. Ellagitannins, which have never been reported in cocoa or chocolate, represented about the 10% of the phenolic profile of dark chocolate. The enrichment of dark chocolate with Sakura green tea leaves or turmeric powder influenced and modified the phenolic profile, resulting in a phenolic concentration increase. In this way, this functional chocolate might maximize the beneficial effect of chocolate consumption, combining the positive health effects of chocolate, turmeric and green tea and, at the same time, reducing the amount of sugars and calories introduced with chocolate.
Highlights
Western lifestyle built-around a highly refined diet rich in saturated fat and sugars but low in complex plant carbohydrates, phytochemicals and vitamins is a hot research topic in the field of nutrition
Literature provides a lot of information about cocoa polyphenols and properties, but there is still a big gap about the phenolic composition of chocolate
Few studies investigated the phenolic composition of dark chocolate, focusing on flavan-3-ols as the major class in chocolate phenolic profile
Summary
Western lifestyle built-around a highly refined diet rich in saturated fat and sugars but low in complex plant carbohydrates, phytochemicals and vitamins is a hot research topic in the field of nutrition. It is widely known that diet is the cause of many pathogenic age-related conditions. Increasing interest has pointed to naturally occurring compounds, which have been considered non-nutritive for a long time. Polyphenols are a representative class of these compounds and can be summarised into several groups, i.e. hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, anthocyanins, ellagitannins, stilbenes, and lignan. Hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, flavones, flavanones, isoflavones, anthocyanins, ellagitannins, stilbenes, and lignan They occur in all fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, flowers, bark, beverages and processed food. As reviewed by Wollgast, & Anklam (2000a; 2000b) polyphenols are characterised by several beneficial effects including anticarcinogenic, anti-atherogenic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating and vasodilatory activities
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