The mood pyramid of cocoa, which was previously proposed as a new concept, consists of four levels (flavan-3-ols, methylxanthines, minor compounds and orosensory properties). Roasting is a crucial process for flavor development in cocoa (level 4) but is likely to have a negative impact on the phytochemicals (level 1-3). We investigated the effect of roasting time (10 – 50 min) and temperature (110 – 160°C) on the mood-enhancing compounds corresponding to the distinct mood pyramid levels. Phytochemicals were analyzed using UPLC-HRMS, while the flavor was mapped via aroma (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and generic descriptive analysis (trained panel). Results revealed that through selection of appropriate roasting parameter values for time and temperature the studied phytochemicals could be retained without comprising the flavor.

Roasting-induced changes in cocoa beans with respect to the mood pyramid

ACS Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting

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