Sorption characteristics of peeled beans and shells of fermented and dry Trinitario cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L.)

Abstract

Some important chemical and thermal characteristics of components of fermented and dry Venezuelan Trinitario cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L.) were determined. Average bean shell weight (as percent of whole bean weight) was 15.5%, with an average thickness 0.310 mm. Its moisture content was significantly higher (p≤0.05) than that of whole and peeled beans. In spite of the shell higher moisture content, its water activity (aw ) was lower than that of peeled and whole beans, evidencing higher water binding capacity. Crude fat content was higher in whole beans than in peeled beans and significantly larger than that in shells. Crude protein content exhibited a decreasing order for whole beans, peeled beans and shells. The ash content was significantly higher in the shell than in whole and peeled beans. Cocoa bean constituents, exhibited similar thermal properties, as evidenced by their melting and pyrolysis behavior obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques