title: Fast and neat--determination of biochemical quality parameters in cocoa using near infrared spectroscopy.
abstract: The qualitative heterogeneity and increasing consumption of cocoa products require fast and efficient methods for quality assessment of fermented cocoa with regard to fermentation quality and flavor potential. To date, quality control is achieved by visual inspection (e.g., "cut test") and sensory testing. Chromatographic methods for quantification of flavor relevant substances are limited in their applicability in standard quality control due to laborious isolation and purification steps. Therefore, the aim of this study was the development of a near infrared spectroscopic (NIRS) method for routine analytical prediction of biochemical quality parameters. Different compound classes like phenolic substances (R(2)=0.93) or organic acids (R(2)=0.88) as well as individual substances like epicatechin (R(2)=0.93) or lactic acid (R(2)=0.87) could be precisely determined just as fermentation time (R(2)=0.92) and pH value (R(2)=0.94) presenting NIRS as fast and reliable alternative in routine quality assessment.
authors: Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Königin-Luise-Straße 19, 14195 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: Andrea.Kraehmer@jki.bund.de.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Krähmer
authors: Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Königin-Luise-Straße 19, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Institute of Food Technology and Food Chemistry, Berlin University of Technology, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Annika
authors: A
authors: Engel
authors: University of Hamburg, Biocenter Klein Flottbek and Botanical Garden, Crop Science and Applied Ecology, Ohnhorststr. 18, 22609 Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Kadow
authors: Cocoa Research Centre, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors: Naailah
authors: N
authors: Ali
authors: Cocoa Research Centre, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors: Pathmanathan
authors: P
authors: Umaharan
authors: Institute of Food Technology and Food Chemistry, Berlin University of Technology, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Lothar W
authors: LW
authors: Kroh
authors: Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Königin-Luise-Straße 19, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Hartwig
authors: H
authors: Schulz
mesh_terms: D002099:Cacao / Q000737:chemistry*; D011786:Quality Control; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Acetic acid (PubChem CID: 176); Caffeine (PubChem CID: 2519); Cocoa; Epicatechin (PubChem CID: 72276); Lactic acid (PubChem CID: 612); NIR spectroscopy; PLS prediction; Quality control; Quantification; Theobromine (PubChem CID: 5429)