HPLC-MS-based design of experiments approach on cocoa roasting

• Published in: Food chemistry 2021-10, Vol.360, p.129694-129694, Article 129694
• Main Authors: Andruszkiewicz, Paweł J., Corno, Marcello, Kuhnert, Nikolai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amadori compound; Cocoa; Design of experiments; DoE; HPLC-MS; Peptide; Procyanidin; Roasting
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129694

•Design of experiments cocoa roasting model was established based on 60 roasting experiments.•Five flavor-related cocoa constituents were investigated in different roasting conditions (time, temperature, addition of water, acid, and base).•Chemical changes occurring during cocoa roasting can be predicted.•Approach could be used to improve flavor of cocoa by optimization of roasting conditions. Modern statistical methods, such as the design of experiments and response surface methodology, are widely used to describe changes in multiparameter processes during the processing of food in both science and technology contexts. However, these approaches are described to a lesser degree in the case of cocoa roasting than other foods and processes. Our study aimed to use the design of experiments to establish a model of cocoa roasting for relevant flavor-related constituents. We have used HPLC-MS techniques to link standard process parameters with chemical compounds changing in concentration during cocoa roasting. Influence of time, temperature, the addition of water, acid, and base, on relative concentrations of procyanidin monomers, dimers, and trimers, an Amadori compound, and a peptide, was shown. High-quality models for each compound were established and validated, displaying good prediction accuracy. Such an approach could be used to optimize processing conditions for cocoa roasting in order to influence the concentration of certain chemical compounds, and in turn, improving the flavor of chocolate products.