Cacao phenolic compound

Pereira-Caro, G., Borges, G., Nagai, C., Jackson, M. C., Yokota, T., Crozier, A., and Ashihara, H. 2013. Profiles of phenolic compounds and purine alkaloids during the development of seeds of Theobroma cacao cv. Trinitario. J. Agric. Food Chem. 61 427 34. 

Seeds of Theobroma cacao are worldwide in use for production of cocoa butter and confectionary products. The production of raw cocoa from fresh seeds is based on a complex fermentation process, which leads to the aroma precursors. This process enhances the amount of peptides and free amino acids in the seeds, but it also reduces the amount of phenolic compounds, especially the proantho-cyanidins. These antioxidative compounds are mostly composed of catechin and epicatechin monomers and oligomers up to decamers. The fermentation has to take into account that both factors, production of aroma precursors as well as... 

Figueira et al. [37,38,39] assume that the composition of the phenolic compounds of the fresh seeds varies with the genotype and has an influence on the cocoa flavor. In general, there is no significant difference in total phenols in the major groups of cacao, but there are seed-to-seed variations in the amounts of phenolics [40]. 

Alemanno L, Ramos T, Gardanenec A, Andary C, Ferriere N (2003) Localization and identification of phenolic compounds in Theobroma cacao L. somatic embryogenesis. Ann Bot 92 1-11... 

Elwers S, Zambrano A, Rohsius C, Lieberei R (2009) Differences between the content of phenolic compounds in Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario cocoa seed (Theobroma cacao L.). Eur Food Res Technol 229 937-948... 

Elwers, S., Zambrano, A., Rohsius, C., and Ueberei, R. (2010) Histologial features of phenolic compounds in fine and bulk cocoa seed (Jheobroma cacao L.). JAppl Bot Food Qual 83, 182—188. 

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