Cocoa Bean Shell Research Articles

Profile of Bioactive Components of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) By-Products from Ecuador and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant Activity.

The aim of the study was to determine the profile of bioactive compounds in cocoa residues (mucilage and bean shells), and to evaluate their antioxidant activity in two cocoa varieties, Nacional X Trinitario type (Fine Aroma) and the variety CCN-51. The extraction of phytonutrients from the residues was carried out selectively. The characterization and quantification of the total polyphenol content (TPC), and the total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined by UV-VIS spectrophotometry. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the phenolic profile and methylxanthines. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by the methods of 2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) cation bleaching (ABTS), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). The exudate mucilage samples from Nacional X Trinitario-type cocoa presented the highest content of TPC 105.08 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 mL, TFC 36.80 mg catechin equivalents (CE)/100 mL, catechin (CAT) 35.44 mg/g, procyanidins (PCB2: 35.10; PCB1: 25.68; PCC1: 16.83 mg/L), epicatechin (EPI) 13.71 mg/L, caffeine (CAF) 0.90% and theobromine (TBR) 2.65%. In the cocoa bean shell, the variety CCN-51 presented a higher content of TPC (42.17 mg GAE/100 g) and TFC (20.57 mg CE/100 g). However, CAT (16.16 mg/g), CAF (0.35%) and TBR (1.28%) were higher in the Nacional X Trinitario cocoa type. The EPI presented no significant differences between the two samples studied (0.83 and 0.84 mg/g). The antioxidant activity values (ABTS, FRAP and ORAC methods) were higher in the samples of CCN-51 than in the Nacional X Trinitario type. The bean shell samples presented antioxidant values of 171.32, 192.22 and 56.87 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g, respectively, and the bean shell samples presented antioxidant values of 167.06, 160.06 and 52.53 mg TE/g, respectively. The antioxidant activity (ABTS, FRAP and ORAC) of the residues was correlated with the bioactive compounds of the mucilage and bean shells, showing a strong positive correlation (<0.99) with the procyanidins (B1, B2 and C1), EPI and CAT and a positive/moderate correlation (0.94) with methylxanthines.

Ohmic heating-based extraction of biocompounds from cocoa bean shell

Cocoa bean shell (CBS), a by-product of the chocolate industry, was employed as substrate for the sustainable recovery of bioactive compounds using ohmic heating (OH). Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the treated CBS were optimized by experimental design. Maximum extraction of antioxidant phenolic compounds (23 mg GAE/g CBS) was obtained at 67 °C, 50 min and 44% ethanol (v/v). The antioxidant activity of the extracts obtained under of the central point conditions was 284.5 μM Fe2+/g extract (FRAP) and 36.4 μM TE/g extract (DPPH). The use of OH increased the extraction of bioactive phenolic compounds when compared to the conventional process (CH) (approximately 40%). An increased on the chemical antioxidant activity was also observed, ranging from 4 to 20%. The metabolic activity of the extracts obtained by the two methods (OH and CH) was evaluated in non-tumoral (HEK293T and L929) and tumoral cell lines (Caco-2, HT-29, and HeLa). The CBS extracts presented low toxicity in non-tumoral cells and ROS preventive effects. These characteristics make them ideal to be used in food processing and formulation, as well as nutraceutical products due to their antioxidant protection. The use of OH results in an extract with higher phenolic content and higher antioxidant activity and low environmental impact.

Effects of enzymatic and ultrasonic-assisted extraction of bioactive compounds from cocoa bean shells

Effects of enzymatic and ultrasonic-assisted extraction of bioactive compounds from cocoa bean shells

Changes in bioactive compounds present in beef burgers formulated with walnut oil gelled emulsion as a fat substitute during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion.

The partial or total substitution of animal fat by a gelled emulsion elaborated with cocoa bean shell and walnut oil in beef burgers was assessed in terms of bioactive compounds stability (polyphenolic and methylxanthines compounds, and fatty acid profile); bioaccessibility, and colon available indices as well as lipid oxidation after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion (GID). After GID of reformulated beef burgers no free polyphenolic compounds were detected in the soluble fraction, while in the bound fraction a reduction, with respect to the undigested sample, from 47.57 to 53.12% for protocatechuic acid; from 60.26 to 78.01% for catechin, and from 38.37 to 60.95% for epicatechin were obtained. The methylxanthines decreased significantly their content after GID. Thus, theobromine content fell between 48.41 and 68.61% while caffeine content was reduced between 96.47 and 97.95%. The fatty acid profile of undigested samples was very similar to that of digested samples being in the control burger oleic acid (453.27 mg g-1 ) and palmitic acid (242.20 mg g-1 ) the predominant fatty acids, whereas in reformulated burgers a high content of linoleic acid (304.58 and 413.35 mg g-1 ) and α-linolenic acid (52.44 and 82.35 mg g-1 ) was found. As expected, both undigested and digested reformulated samples presented a higher degree of oxidation than the control sample. The reformulated beef burgers with cocoa bean shells flour and walnut oil were a good source of bioactive compounds, which showed good stability after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Arang Kulit Biji Kakao (Theobroma cacao L) sebagai Adsorben untuk Menurunkan Kadar Asam Lemak Bebas pada Pembuatan Biodiesel dari Minyak Jelantah

Indonesia as one of the largest producing and exporting countries of crude palm oil (CPO). However, Indonesia still has not utilized the potential of the waste that generated by using CPO as cooking oil, namely used cooking oil. The high content of free fatty acids (FFA) in used cooking oil will cause the saponification reaction and interfere the processing into biodiesel. Cocoa bean shell charcoal (Theobroma cacao L) has a K2CO3 content similar to its commercial product, and contains some traces of silicates and sulfates so that it can increase the efficiency of reducing free fatty acids. In this study, tests were carried out to reduce FFA levels in used cooking oil using charcoal from cocoa bean husks activated with HCl, varying the concentrations of 6, 8 and 10 Molar, as well as the temperature treatment during the process of mixing used cooking oil with activated charcoal adsorbent, which was 75 , 100, and 150°C. The best FFA reduction results were found in the A3T2 reactor which reached 80%, where the best HCl concentration was 10 Molar and the temperature of the mixing process with the adsorbent was 100°C and produced a biodiesel yield of 75%. The quality of the biodiesel produced complies with SNI 7182-2015 standards, 867 kg/m3 of density, 0.5 mg KOH/g of acid number, 1.52 cSt of kinematic viscosity, 48.081 MJ/kg of calorivic value and 143.99%- mass of methyl ester content.

Cocoa Bean Shell: A By-Product with High Potential for Nutritional and Biotechnological Applications.

Cocoa bean shell (CBS) is one of the main solid wastes derived from the chocolate industry. This residual biomass could be an interesting source of nutrients and bioactive compounds due to its high content in dietary fibres, polyphenols and methylxanthines. Specifically, CBS can be employed as a raw material for the recovery of, for example, antioxidants, antivirals and/or antimicrobials. Additionally, it can be used as a substrate to obtain biofuels (bioethanol or biomethane), as an additive in food processing, as an adsorbent and, even, as a corrosion-inhibiting agent. Together with the research on obtaining and characterising different compounds of interest from CBS, some works have focused on the employment of novel sustainable extraction methods and others on the possible use of the whole CBS or some derived products. This review provides insight into the different alternatives of CBS valorisation, including the most recent innovations, trends and challenges for the biotechnological application of this interesting and underused by-product.

Silage characteristics, nutrient profiles and in vitro digestibility of differently ensiled theobroma cacao bean shell meals

Silage technology is one of the major strategies for nutritionally improving and preserving feedstuff during seasonal shortages for ruminant animals. Thus, this study was conducted to determine the silage characteristics, nutrient profiles and in vitro digestibility of raw, poultry manure- and urea- ensiled cocoa bean shell meal. The known quantities of raw cocoa bean shell were mixed with poultry manure at 1:1 (w/w) while 5% urea solution was mixed with cocoa bean shell meal at 1:1 (v/w) and were ensiled for seven days under anaerobic condition. Data generated were subjected to appropriate statistical tools. The physicochemical properties of the silage produced revealed that it could be acceptable/palatable to the ruminants, if fed. Nutrient compositions was best improved in poultry manure ensiled cocoa bean shell. Mineral compositions were significantly improved by the treatments while anti-nutrients decomposed and reduced significantly. Alkaloid, oxalate and theobromine content were lower in the PCBSM while the UCBSM was lower in phytate. In vitro digestibility study showed that the feed materials are degradable and would nutrients could be absorbed and utilized by the animals, if fed. The organic matter digestibility (OMD), short chain fatty acid (SCFA) and metabolizable energy (ME) values confirmed the nutritional potentials of PCBSM as best feed materials over all. Methane production were minimal, would not lead to bloat in animals and thus, eco-friendly. Summarily, poultry manure ensiled cocoa bean shell meal could be a suitable alternative feed material in ruminant production and is thus, recommended. &nbsp

Structural alteration of cocoa bean shell fibers through biological treatment using Penicillium roqueforti

Lignocellulosic residues, such as cocoa bean shell (FI), are generated in large quantities during agro-industrial activities. Proper management of residual biomass through solid state fermentation (SSF) can be effective in obtaining value-added products. The hypothesis of the present work is that the bioprocess promoted by P. roqueforti can lead to structural changes in the fibers of the fermented cocoa bean shell (FF) that confer characteristics of industrial interest. To unveil such changes, the techniques of FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA/TG were used. After SSF, an increase of 36.6% in the crystallinity index was observed, reflecting the reduction of amorphous components such as lignin in the FI residue. Furthermore, an increase in porosity was observed through the reduction of the 2θ angle, which gives the FF a potential candidate for applications of porous products. The FTIR results confirm the reduction in hemicellulose content after SSF. The thermal and thermogravimetric tests showed an increase in the hydrophilicity and thermal stability of FF (15% decomposition) in relation to the by-product FI (40% decomposition). These data provided important information regarding changes in the crystallinity of the residue, existing functional groups and changes in degradation temperatures.

Extraction and Characterization of Cocoa Bean Shell Cell Wall Polysaccharides.

Cocoa bean shells (CBS), a by-product of the cocoa industry, from two cacao varieties and obtained after selected processing conditions (fermentation, drying, roasting) were characterized in terms of their chemical composition, where they were found to be a great source of carbohydrates, specifically dietary fiber, protein, ash, and polyphenols, namely quercetin, epicatechin, and catechin. Cell wall polysaccharides were isolated by alkaline extraction (0.5 M or 4 M KOH) and were found to be enriched primarily in pectic polysaccharides (80.6-86%) namely rhamnogalacturonan and arabinogalactan as well as hemi- cellulosic polysaccharides (13.9-19.4%). Overall, 0.5 M KOH polysaccharides were favored having provided a diverse profile of neutral sugars and uronic acids. When tested for the promotion of the growth of selected probiotic strains, CBS cell wall polysaccharides performed similarly or more than inulin and rhamnogalacturonan based on the prebiotic activity scores. The short-chain fatty acid profiles were characterized by high amounts of lactic acid, followed by acetic and propionic acid.

Lignin recovery from cocoa bean shell using microwave-assisted extraction and deep eutectic solvents

Lignin is the second most abundant natural polymer after cellulose, and valorisation of lignin-rich streams has attracted increasing attention recently. This paper presents a novel and sustainable method to recover lignin from Cocoa Bean Shells (CBS) using Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) and microwaves. A DES containing p-toluenesulfonic acid, choline chloride and glycerol (2:1:1 M ratio) was selected based on its dielectric properties. Under 200 W microwave power, the optimum yield of 95.5 % lignin was achieved at 130 °C and 30 min. DES-extracted lignin exhibited unique structural characteristics including larger particle sizes (242.5 µm D50 size), structural diversity (410.4 µm D90-D10 size) and H/G sub-unit ratio (71.9 %) compared with commercial Kraft lignin (77.2 µm, 157.9 µm and 0.1 % respectively), indicating the potential of DES in the modification and upgrading of lignin for novel value-added products.

Production of Cookies Enriched with Bioactive Compounds through the Partial Replacement of Wheat Flour by Cocoa Bean Shells.

Approximately 500 thousand tons of cocoa bean shells (CSs) are generated annually and treated as waste. However, their composition is of great nutritional, technological, and economic interest due to their dietary fiber (46.4 to 60.6%), protein (11.6 to 18.1%), and lipid contents (2 to 18.5%), as well as the presence of flavonoids and alkaloids. Thus, this study aimed to obtain CS flour by milling the CSs, characterizing the flour according to its chemical composition and functionalities, and then applying it in the production of cookies, substituting a wheat flour portion (10, 20, 30, and 40%) with CS flour. Cookies were characterized in terms of water, lipids, proteins, phenolic (PC), and total flavanol (FLA) contents, and specific volume (SV), hardness (H), and L*, a*, and b color scale parameters. Increasing the amount of CS showed positive results, as the cookies were enriched with PC (0.68 to 2.37 mg gallic acid equivalents/g of sample) and FLA (0.10 to 0.19 mg epicatechin equivalents/g of sample) but increased hardness (353 to 472 N). By associating the responses, it was concluded that the wheat flour replacement with 30% CS presented values of PC and FLA 3 and 1.6 times higher than the control and could be a formulation of interest to consumers.

Cocoa Bean Shell as Promising Feedstock for the Production of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)

Cocoa bean shell (CBS), a by-product of the chocolate industry, has been employed as a substrate to obtain poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) by fermentation with Bacillus firmus. With this aim, acid-thermal hydrolysis of CBS (20% w/v) was conducted at 135 °C for 10 min so that broths rich in fermentable sugars were obtained. These broths, both non-centrifuged and centrifuged, were employed as fermentation media. Significant polymer production was obtained from the broth with solids (non-centrifuged) with a yield of 107 mg of PHB/g dry matter. These results indicated that the presence of CBS solids played an important role in microorganism metabolism, with them being fundamental to the production of PHB. Experimental data were fitted by a model based on irreversible first-order reactions, and kinetic constants were obtained for solubilisation, hydrolysis, and sugar consumption. Although, several studies on obtaining PHB from other agri-food residues have been published, this is the first work on PHB production from CBS, with the study obtaining promising results with PHB concentrations similar or even higher than the others previously reported.

Effect of choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents on polyphenols extraction from cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) bean shells and antioxidant activity of extracts

The effective extraction of natural compounds from cocoa bean shells using deep eutectic solvents could contribute to the sustainable valorization of this waste material. The objective of this study was to: (1) analyze the extraction kinetics of polyphenols released from cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) bean shells (CBS) by the solid-liquid extraction method using choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents (ChCl-DES) and their aqueous solutions; (2) investigate the effect of choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents (ChCl-DES) aqueous solutions on in-vitro antioxidant capacity and the main individual compounds of the extracts. ChCl-DES were prepared with lactic acid, glycerol, and ethylene glycol in a 1:2 ratio. Aqueous solutions (30%, 40%, and 50% water) to obtain solvents with different physicochemical properties were performed. The total phenolic content (TPC) was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The solution of Fick's law model for plate geometry particles was applied to fit the experimental data and calculate the effective diffusivity coefficient (De). The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was analyzed by a combination of 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging capacity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The main bioactive compounds were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that the type of hydrogen bond donor influences the total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and the main individual compounds in the extracts. Moreover, the washing/diffusion mechanism adequately depicts the extraction kinetics data for total phenolic content. However, the influence of an additional mechanism that enhanced the extraction capacity of deep eutectic solvents compared with organic solvent was confirmed.

Antioxidant Content of Tisane of Cocoa Bean Shells as Affected by Roasting Temperatures

Cocoa bean shell is a by-product of processing chocolate products that can be used as a tea infusion because it contains bioactive compounds such as polyphenols which act as antioxidants. Roasting plays a very important role in the development of aromas and flavors. The temperature commonly used in roasting is about 100 – 150 ºC. Phenolic content plays a role in the formation of sensory properties of the product due to the presence of interaction with proteins through the Maillard reaction that occurs in the roasting process. This study aims to determine the effect of roasting temperature on the antioxidant activity of tea infusions from cocoa bean shells. The methods used in this study are the folin-ciocalteu method and the DPPH method. Cocoa bean shell tea with a roasting temperature of 100ºC, 20 minutes has the highest total phenols, antioxidant levels, and radical scavenging activity of 21.54 ± 0.37 mg GAE/g; 12.80 ± 0.17 mg AA/g; and 85.18 ± 1.28%. The total amount of phenols has a very strong correlation to antioxidant levels, radical scavenging, the color value of the brew L*, b*, and is inversely proportional to the color value of a*. Cocoa bean shell tea roasting temperature of 140ºC, 18 minutes has the highest IC50 value of 22.76 mg /ml. In addition, the roasting temperature can affect the sensory attribute character of cocoa bean shell tea.

Extraction of Cocoa Butter from by-product Cocoa Bean Shells by using SC-CO2 Extraction and Investigation of Flavour Profile and Antioxidant Capacities

Recently, sustainability in terms of making the life of humanity permanent is being by far the most important subject. In this study, the production of cocoa bean shell fat, a by-product obtained from supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction, and cocoa butter were compared in terms of antioxidant capacity, fatty acid composition, and flavor profile. In addition, Soxhlet method was used for the comparison of extraction yield. Extract of cocoa bean shell was obtained by supercritical extraction method with 70% yield. Fatty acid composition and flavor profile were determined using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Dynamic Headspace-GC/MS, respectively. The yield of the cocoa bean shell extract was 4.15% at Soxhlet and 15.09% and 10.31% at SC-CO2 extraction. The fatty acid constituents extracted using SC-CO2 ranged from 23.62% to 23.72% palmitic acid, 30.83% to 31.28% stearic acid, 32.19% to 32.41% oleic acid, and 9.35% to 9.61% linoleic acid. Physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of SC-CO2 extracted cocoa bean shell fats content were found to be comparable to that of commercial cocoa butter. Antioxidant capacity of the obtained extract in terms of β-carotene linoleic acid method and total phenolic content were found to be lower than that of cocoa butter.

Production and Characterisation of Pectin from Cocoa Bean Shells

Cocoa bean shells constitute the major waste generated from the industrial processing of cocoa beans. The shells contain about 9% of pectin and extracting it would be of economic and ecological importance. However, limited knowledge on the characteristics of the pectin from cocoa bean shells and the extraction conditions, which would yield pectin of good quality and sufficient quantity, restrict the possible use of the shells as a source of commercial pectin. The objective of this study was to extract and characterise pectin from cocoa bean shells, with focus on finding the optimum extraction conditions. The conventional hot dilute acid extraction method was used. 12 M hydrochloric acid was used to acidify water to pH 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0. Extractions were carried out at temperatures of 60, 70, and 80 °C, for different times of 0.5, 1, and 2 h. The effects of each of the conditions on yield and other properties of pectin were evaluated. Depending on the conditions under which cocoa bean shells were treated, both high methoxyl and low methoxyl pectins were extracted. At the optimum conditions of pH 3.5, extraction time of 2 h and 80 °C extraction temperature, high methoxyl pectin was obtained. The yield was 4.7%, the degree of esterification was 68.9% and the anhydrouronic acid content was 71.2%. While the methoxyl content was 8.6%, the equivalent mass was found to be 805.8 g/eq. Moisture and ash contents were 6.7 and 10.3%, respectively, and the pH of the pectin hydrocolloid was 3.7. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectra confirmed the presence of functional groups found in the pectin structure. The intrinsic viscosity varied between 0.075–0.088 m3/kg and the molecular mass ranged from 23,470 - 42,384 g/mol. The results revealed that the shells are a viable source for commercial pectin, while necessary investigations focusing on the gelling, thickening, emulsifying, texturing, and stabilising potentials of the pectin from cocoa bean shells would inform of the areas of application

Food Sustainability Study in Ecuador: Using PCA Biplot and GGE Biplot

Agriculture is one of the main sectors of Ecuador’s economy, and the principal agricultural product for exportation is cocoa. Flour samples of two mixtures were taken: a total of 50 samples of 85% cocoa bean shell (harvested from a farm) mixed with 15% soy flour (Mixture 1) and 50 samples of 75% cocoa bean shell (harvested from a farm) mixed with 25% soy flour (Mixture 2). The parameters evaluated were: moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrates, ash, total dietary fiber (TDF), and biological activity. Multivariate statistical techniques, such as PCA biplots and GGE biplots, were used to present each parameter (vector) measured. The biplot techniques suggested that the flour samples corresponding to Mixture 1 indicated the most significant values of nutritional and commercial properties. The results suggest that the use of mixtures of cocoa bean shell flour with soy flour can be used as ingredients to produce new foods.

Evaluation of Nutritional, Phytochemicals, Microbiological and Sensory Properties of Cookies Enriched with Cocoa Bean Shells

: Cocoa bean shells (CBS) are wastes generated by cocoa processing industries despite its high nutritional properties. Production of cookies enriched with CBS in order to evaluate the effects of its addition on the processed snack food was studied. Cookies were prepared with multipurpose flour, butter, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk and varying quantities of CBS (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10g). The preparation of the cookies was done according to the normal method of cookies production. Nutritional, minerals, phytochemicals, microbiological and sensory evaluations were performed on the processed snack food to determine the contribution of the CBS in enhancement of these properties. Results of chemicals, minerals, phytochemicals and sensory analysis indicates increase in protein, fat, fiber and ash whereas moisture and carbohydrate content decreases as the quantity of the enricher increases. All the parameters determined for minerals and the phytochemicals also increase with increased addition of the CBS. The result of sensory analysis showed that all the samples were rated highly but for the sample with highest addition of CBS which had darker colour and aftertaste due to the deep brown colour of CBS. Microbial examination of the cookies indicated that total bacteria counts were low for all the sample (1.7×102-3.1×103) and no enteric bacteria was detected. The study shows that the cookies enriched with cocoa bean present a profile of mould in different percentages. There is however, an allowance of 1.0×104 cfu/g for yeasts and moulds for baked products to cookies belong.

Evaluation of Nutritional, Phytochemicals, Microbiological and Sensory Properties of Cookies Enriched with Cocoa Bean Shells

Evaluation of Nutritional, Phytochemicals, Microbiological and Sensory Properties of Cookies Enriched with Cocoa Bean Shells

Versatile Green Technology for Waste Valorization – Products from Cocoa Bean Shell and Essential Oil Plants

Versatile Green Technology for Waste Valorization – Products from Cocoa Bean Shell and Essential Oil Plants