Healthier, Tastier Chocolate On The Way

(RTTNews) - Researchers are in the process of finding a way to make chocolates even tastier and more nutritious by retaining as much of the healthful polyphenols (antioxidants) and good flavors.

Chocolates are said to potentially lower blood pressure and cholesterol as well as reduce stroke risk.

Researchers will describe their study later in the day at the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society.

Polyphenols are phytochemicals responsible for the astringency, bitterness, green flavors and antioxidant activities in cocoa (Theobroma cacao) beans.

Researchers say that the antioxidant activity of the healthy polyphenol in the beans and flavors are degraded during fermentation, drying and roasting. However, the extent of degradation during roasting remains unknown.

This research was aimed at investigating the changes in total polyphenols, anthocyanins, o-diphenols and antioxidant activity during the processing of the cocoa beans to make chocolate.

Researchers have observed variable decrease in total polyphenols, o-diphenols and anthocyanins with increase in pod storage and roasting durations. They found that pulp pre-conditioning by pod storage and roasting duration could be used to reduce the astringency and bitterness caused by polyphenols, o-diphenols and anthocyanins in cocoa beans whilst increasing the antioxidant activity imparted by cocoa.

It was also discovered that slower roasting at a lower temperature increased the antioxidant activity compared to beans roasted with the conventional method.

The research was conducted by a team led by Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Ph.D., who is at the University of Ghana.