Identification and quantitation of several nonvolatile organic acids of cocoa beans

Organic acids precipitated as lead salts from water extracts of cocoa beans were converted to trimethylsilyl ethers. TMS ethers were then separated and identified using a combined gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. Citric, phosphoric, lactic, oxalic, malic, tartaric, succinic and gluconic acids were present in every sample examined, irrespective of geographic origin. Five of the acids were quantitated using a GLC procedure which involved the prepartion of methyl esters from freeze-dehydrated, water extracts. Concentration ranges found, g/100g beans, were: lactic, 0.11-0.71; oxalic, 0.24-0.43; succinic, 0.02-0.07; malic, 0.02-0.10; citric, 0.56-1.32. Concentrations of lactic acid were lowest and citric acid levels tended to be highest in commercial samples from countries where cocoa beans usually are not subjected to a planned fermentation. These trends were confirmed in an experiment involving beans from Trinidad which had undergone a carefully controlled fermentation. Only minor differences were found in organic acid concentrations between roasted and unroasted cocoa beans.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: 130954 Weissberger, W., 82508 Kavanagh, T.E., 82600 Keeney, P.G.
Format: biblioteca
Published: 1971
Subjects:CACAO, ALMENDRAS, COMPOSICION QUIMICA, ACIDOS ORGANICOS, CROMATOGRAFIA DE GASES, ANALISIS QUIMICO,
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Summary:Organic acids precipitated as lead salts from water extracts of cocoa beans were converted to trimethylsilyl ethers. TMS ethers were then separated and identified using a combined gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. Citric, phosphoric, lactic, oxalic, malic, tartaric, succinic and gluconic acids were present in every sample examined, irrespective of geographic origin. Five of the acids were quantitated using a GLC procedure which involved the prepartion of methyl esters from freeze-dehydrated, water extracts. Concentration ranges found, g/100g beans, were: lactic, 0.11-0.71; oxalic, 0.24-0.43; succinic, 0.02-0.07; malic, 0.02-0.10; citric, 0.56-1.32. Concentrations of lactic acid were lowest and citric acid levels tended to be highest in commercial samples from countries where cocoa beans usually are not subjected to a planned fermentation. These trends were confirmed in an experiment involving beans from Trinidad which had undergone a carefully controlled fermentation. Only minor differences were found in organic acid concentrations between roasted and unroasted cocoa beans.