THE PROCESSING AND ANALYSIS OF THE POLYPHENOLS CONTENT OF COCOA BEAN (THEOBROMA COCOA L) AND THE DEVELOPMENT AS FUNCTIONAL FOODS

Abstract

Production and quality of cocoa in South Sulawesi have been decreasing that causes it falls below the industrialstandard. The quality of cacao bean is mainly determined by aroma and flavour produced from fermentation process ofwet cacao bean before drying. In this research processing of various cacao bean without fermentation to polyphenols-richcacao powder and polyphenols (catechin) analysis using HPLC have been carried out.The experimental results showed that total polyphenols content of cacao bean (raw bean) was between 82.14 –126.67 mg GAE/g powder. Cacao samples coded PLPK, BLKK and SWK (without boiling pretreatment) havepolyphenols content of 113, 119.78, and 126.67 mg/g powder respectively. Whereas the polyphenols content of cacaosample coded PLP, SW and BLK (with blanching pretreatment) were 110.76, 113.75 and 82.14 mg GAE/g powderrespectively. NP-HPLC analysis result showed that cacao bean from Palopo, Bulukumba and Siwa have highpolyphenols content ranging from 149.38 mg/g to 367.21 mg/g powder.Heat pretreatment decreases polyphenols content of cacao bean and it shows that polyphenols is not heatresistant. Polyphenols - rich cacao bean can be obtained without fermentation and heat treatment. Cacao bean fromBulukumba, Siwa and Palopo have high economic value when processed as polyphenols - rich health food products.