title: Nutritional composition, bioactive compounds and volatile profile of cocoa beans from different regions of Cameroon.
abstract: Analysis of the complex composition of cocoa beans provides fundamental information for evaluating the quality and nutritional aspects of cocoa-based food products, nutraceuticals and supplements. Cameroon, the world's fourth largest producer of cocoa, has been defined as "Africa in miniature" because of the variety it habitats. In order to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of cocoa beans from five different regions of Cameroon, we studied their polyphenolic content, volatile compounds and fatty acids composition. The High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) analysis showed that the Mbalmayo sample had the highest content of theobromine (11.6 mg/g) and caffeic acid (2.1 mg/g), while the Sanchou sample had the highest level of (-)-epicatechin (142.9 mg/g). Concerning fatty acids, the lowest level of stearic acid was found in the Mbalmayo sample while the Bertoua sample showed the highest content of oleic acid. Thus, we confirmed that geographical origin influences the quality and nutritional characteristics of cocoa from these regions of Cameroon.
authors.affiliation: a School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino , Camerino , Italy ;
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caprioli
authors.affiliation: a School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino , Camerino , Italy ;
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fiorini
authors.affiliation: a School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino , Camerino , Italy ;
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.affiliation: b Department of Environmental Biology , University of Rome "La Sapienza" , Rome , Italy ;
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nicoletti
authors.affiliation: a School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino , Camerino , Italy ;
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricciutelli
authors.affiliation: b Department of Environmental Biology , University of Rome "La Sapienza" , Rome , Italy ;
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toniolo
authors.affiliation: c Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Food Science and Nutrition , University of Dschang , Dschang , Cameroon.
authors.forename: Biapa
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prosper
authors.affiliation: a School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino , Camerino , Italy ;
authors.forename: Sauro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vittori
authors.affiliation: a School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino , Camerino , Italy ;
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sagratini
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002099:Cacao / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002109:Caffeic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002163:Cameroon; D002392:Catechin / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000069956:Chocolate / Q000032:analysis; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000032:analysis; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D063427:Food Quality; D006801:Humans; D009753:Nutritive Value; D014674:Plant Proteins, Dietary / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013805:Theobromine / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014970:Xanthines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002109:Caffeic Acids; D002934:Cinnamates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005419:Flavonoids; D014674:Plant Proteins, Dietary; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D014970:Xanthines; D002392:Catechin; D013805:Theobromine; C040048:caffeic acid
keywords: Fatty acids; GC–MS; HPTLC; HS–SPME; polyphenols