Effects of processing methods of unfermented cocoa beans from Indonesia on the chemical and physical characteristics of butter and cake

Fermentation is an important stage in cocoa bean processing. However, most cocoa beans in Indonesia are not fermented. This study investigated the effects of utilizing unfermented cocoa beans in the production of cocoa butter and cocoa powder. Several processing setups with differing fermentation, deshelling, roasting and pressing were examined for cocoa butter and press cake production. The investigation revealed variations in cocoa butter extraction yield (5.2-50.2% w/w ), free fatty acid content (0.3-1.0% w/w ), and solid fat content (74.1-80.9% w/w ), respectively. The major triacylglycerols in cocoa butter were comprised of palmitic-oleic-palmitic, stearic-oleic-stearic, and palmitic-oleic-stearic with proportions of 17.7-21.0%, 20.4-23.2%, 36.5-40.7%, respectively. The cocoa press cake contained polyphenols (52.2-89.3 mg/g gallic acid equivalents) consisting mainly of epicatechin (67.1-289.0 μg/g), catechin (11.8 – 28.2 μg/g), and procyanidin B2 (30.3 to 97.0 μg/g). Unfermented cocoa beans contained cocoa butter with considerably lower free fatty acid levels than fermented cocoa beans. However, the extraction yield and solid fat content of unfermented beans varied relative to those of fermented beans, depending on the methods of deshelling, roasting, and pressing.. In all trials, press cake obtained from the unfermented beans contained high amounts of phenolic compounds. Cocoa butter from unfermented cocoa beans may be used similarly to that from fermented cocoa beans, while cocoa press cake from unfermented beans is a promising source of phenolic compounds, which have been demonstrated to exert beneficial effects on human health. • Article highlights • Unfermented cocoa beans are a source of cocoa butter low in free fatty acids • Unfermented cocoa press cake contains high amounts of phenolic compounds • Adapted process for unfermented beans may omit roasting and use expeller pressing