In recent years increased attention has been paid to those foods potentially exerting antioxidant capacity. In heat-treated foods, such as cocoa and related products, this property is generally the result of the contribution of both natural and heat-induced antioxidants. The Maillard reaction in food produces, among others, a diversity of antioxidant compounds. However, several researches reported the findings of elevated levels of potentially toxic compounds from Maillard reaction in heat-treated foods. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of different technological processes in the formation of no-healthy Maillard reaction compounds in cocoa. Cocoa was produced and processed in Chuao (Venezuela). Briefly, fermented cocoa beans were toasted with and without husk, or alkalized. As expected, toasted products showed the lowest content of furosine due to its degradation during the toasting process, whereas values of fermented and alkalized beans reported a furosine content between 172 and 209 mg/100 g of protein. Contrary, toasted samples showed the highest quantities of HMF and methyl-furfural. The same trend was showed for furan content. Effectively, toasted samples reported a furan content of 50 and 23 μg/kg, the fermented and alkalized samples contained 7.6 and 5.8 μg/kg, respectively. Acrylamide levels of no-toasted products were below the LOQ; contrary higher quantities were detected in the toasted samples. As reported for HMF, methyl-furfural and furan, also acrylamide level was higher in the sample toasted with husk compared to de-husked sample. This study confirms that toasted food contained higher quantities of potentially toxic compounds compared to no toasted sample; the alkali treatment prevent the formation of these compounds and may be take into account as alternative process in cocoa production. However other factors, such as sensorial characteristics and content of antioxidant compounds, should be considerate.
Effect of technological processes on Maillard reaction and acrylamide formation in cocoa
VERARDO, VITO;CABONI, MARIA;
2013
Abstract
In recent years increased attention has been paid to those foods potentially exerting antioxidant capacity. In heat-treated foods, such as cocoa and related products, this property is generally the result of the contribution of both natural and heat-induced antioxidants. The Maillard reaction in food produces, among others, a diversity of antioxidant compounds. However, several researches reported the findings of elevated levels of potentially toxic compounds from Maillard reaction in heat-treated foods. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of different technological processes in the formation of no-healthy Maillard reaction compounds in cocoa. Cocoa was produced and processed in Chuao (Venezuela). Briefly, fermented cocoa beans were toasted with and without husk, or alkalized. As expected, toasted products showed the lowest content of furosine due to its degradation during the toasting process, whereas values of fermented and alkalized beans reported a furosine content between 172 and 209 mg/100 g of protein. Contrary, toasted samples showed the highest quantities of HMF and methyl-furfural. The same trend was showed for furan content. Effectively, toasted samples reported a furan content of 50 and 23 μg/kg, the fermented and alkalized samples contained 7.6 and 5.8 μg/kg, respectively. Acrylamide levels of no-toasted products were below the LOQ; contrary higher quantities were detected in the toasted samples. As reported for HMF, methyl-furfural and furan, also acrylamide level was higher in the sample toasted with husk compared to de-husked sample. This study confirms that toasted food contained higher quantities of potentially toxic compounds compared to no toasted sample; the alkali treatment prevent the formation of these compounds and may be take into account as alternative process in cocoa production. However other factors, such as sensorial characteristics and content of antioxidant compounds, should be considerate.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
