Total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity and characteristics of a chocolate beverage incorporated with encapsulated clove bud extract

Abstract

Chocolate beverages made from cocoa powder contain phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, as antioxidants, but these compounds are easily degraded. Incorporating clove bud extract is recommended to improve the quality of these beverages. However, encapsulation is necessary to protect bioactive compounds and reduce bitterness. This study investigated the total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, and characteristics of chocolate beverages formulated with encapsulated clove bud extract. Six formulations ranging from 0% to 10% encapsulated extract were evaluated. The results show that the incorporation of the encapsulated extract significantly improved several attributes as the percentage of clove extract increased. Phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, hygroscopicity, lightness (L*), total color difference (∆E), viscosity, solubility, and soluble solids increased. In contrast, moisture content, red/green (a*) and blue/yellow (b*) values, sedimentation, pH, and dissolution time decreased. Panelists preferred beverages with up to 4% encapsulated clove extract, suggesting the potential for healthier ready-to-drink chocolates.