No abstract

Due to the attack of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) plants by the fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa which caused witches' broom disease in the state of Bahia, Brazil, resistant clonal material with elevated productivity and superior physical characteristics has been selected for use in the genetic improvement program and by the cocoa producers themselves. The present study aimed to characterize the cocoa butter and chocolates produced from nine cacao varieties and also from the Amelonado cacao produced in the same region (denominated as Common), with a view to quality improvement. The cocoa butter was characterized for its solid fat content and triacylglycerol composition, and the chocolates for their moisture and protein contents, maximum particle diameter, pH value, acidity, rheological properties and instrumental texture, as well as a sensory test for acceptability with 50 consumers. A relationship was found between the triacylglycerol composition and solid fat curves of the cocoa butters and the instrumental texture of the chocolates, the highest values for the latter parameter being observed for the varieties with greater amounts of symmetrical triacylglycerols and greater solid fat contents at the temperatures evaluated. From a sensory point of view, it was shown that overall acceptance and buying intention were mainly determined by the attributes of ''astringency,'' ''bitterness,'' ''acidity'' and ''chocolate flavor.'' It was also shown that chocolates produced from varieties descendent from the Trinitario group were differentiated from those descendent from the Forastero group, showing the preference of consumers for these materials and the possibility of a gain in quality in the genetic improvement of cacao by including varieties descended from the Trinitario and Criollo groups in the crossing programs, associating disease resistance with product quality.

ABSTRA ABSTRA ABSTRA ABSTRA ABSTRACT CT CT CT CT: An association has been identified betw : An association has been identified betw : An association has been identified betw : An association has been identified betw : An association has been identified between the extent of r een the extent of r een the extent of r een the extent of r een the extent of roasting and the amount of extr oasting and the amount of extr oasting and the amount of extr oasting and the amount of extr oasting and the amount of extractable actable actable actable actable pr pr pr pr protein fr otein fr otein fr otein fr otein from the cocoa bean, its nutr om the cocoa bean, its nutr om the cocoa bean, its nutr om the cocoa bean, its nutr om the cocoa bean, its nutritiv itiv itiv itiv itive v e v e v e v e value alue alue alue alue, and the sensor , and the sensor , and the sensor , and the sensor , and the sensorial quality of the liquor ial quality of the liquor ial quality of the liquor ial quality of the liquor ial quality of the liquor. C . C . C . C . Cocoa nibs fr ocoa nibs fr ocoa nibs fr ocoa nibs fr ocoa nibs from fer om fer om fer om fer om fer----mented seeds ( mented seeds ( mented seeds ( mented seeds ( mented seeds (Theobr Theobr Theobr Theobr Theobroma cacao oma cacao oma cacao oma cacao oma cacao L.) w L.) w L.) w L.) w L.) wer er er er ere pr e pr e pr e pr e precision-r ecision-r ecision-r ecision-r ecision-roasted at 150 °C for 0, 30, 34, 38, 42, and 46 min and the oasted at 150 °C for 0, 30, 34, 38, 42, and 46 min and the oasted at 150 °C for 0, 30, 34, 38, 42, and 46 min and the oasted at 150 °C for 0, 30, 34, 38, 42, and 46 min and the oasted at 150 °C for 0, 30, 34, 38, 42, and 46 min and the protein fraction extracted. From the beginning of roasting, until minute 38, about 87% of the proteins were protein fraction extracted. From the beginning of roasting, until minute 38, about 87% of the proteins were protein fraction extracted. From the beginning of roasting, until minute 38, about 87% of the proteins were protein fraction extracted. From the beginning of roasting, until minute 38, about 87% of the proteins were protein fraction extracted. From the beginning of roasting, until minute 38, about 87% of the proteins were extractable, but the extractability substantially decreased to 72.7% at 42 min and to 65.3% at 46 min. Both total extractable, but the extractability substantially decreased to 72.7% at 42 min and to 65.3% at 46 min. Both total extractable, but the extractability substantially decreased to 72.7% at 42 min and to 65.3% at 46 min. Both total extractable, but the extractability substantially decreased to 72.7% at 42 min and to 65.3% at 46 min. Both total extractable, but the extractability substantially decreased to 72.7% at 42 min and to 65.3% at 46 min.

IntroduçãoO cupuaçuzeiro (Theobroma grandiflorum Schum) é uma das plantas frutíferas de maior importância para a Amazônia, principalmente devido a sua participação na composição dos sistemas de produção, cultivados e extrativos, além da grande aceitação e consumo da polpa de seus frutos (ROCHA NETO; FIGUERÊDO; SOUZA, 1997) .O cupuaçu desponta como um importante produto agrícola de exportação com amplas perspectivas de mercado, dadas à aceitação que desfruta entre os consumidores regionais e de outros estados. Além das características intrínsecas do fruto, o consumo de produtos provenientes da região Amazônica é um outro fator que vem propiciando o interesse de outros países pelo cupuaçu (BUENO, 1997;CALZAVARA, 1987; QUEIROZ, 1999;VENTURIERI, 1993) .A similaridade das amêndoas de cupuaçu e cacau tem despertado interesse científico, pois a partir das sementes de cupuaçu fermentadas e torradas podem ser obtidos produtos análogos ao chocolate e achocolatados de excelente qualidade em termos de sabor (LOPES; PEZOA-GARCÍA; VASCONCELOS, 2003).As sementes, resíduo do processo de extração da polpa de cupuaçu, ainda não são aproveitadas para formulação de alimentos industrializados, apesar de diversas pesquisas científicas já terem sido realizadas a fim de fornecer conhecimento tecnoló-gico para implementação industrial desta matéria-prima.Os produtos de cacau se enquadram entre os alimentos altamente energéticos e estimulantes, cujo sabor é uma característica muito importante. Além de estar intimamente relacionado à variedade e à origem, o sabor é influenciado pelo processamento, cujo desenvolvimento potencial deste depende principalmente dos processos de fermentação e torração (ZAK; KEENEY, 1976). Dentre as modificações que ocorrem durante a fermentação, pode-se ressaltar a hidrólise específica de proteínas, especialmente da fração globulina (VOIGT; BIEHL, 1993), proporcionando a formação de peptídeos e aminoáci-dos (MOHR; LANDSCHREIBER; SEVERIN, 1976;) e a hidrólise da sacarose em glicose e frutose (ROHAN, T. A.; . Os compostos formados na fermentação são os precursores do sabor de cacau desen- AbstractCupuassu has arisen as an important agricultural export product, with widespread market perspectives due to its acceptance amongst regional consumers and those in other Brazilian states. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the protein quality of powdered products formulated with roasted cupuassu and cocoa beans. According to the net protein ratio determined in biological trials using diets containing 10% protein in a 50:50 proportion of cupuassu or cocoa:casein, it was shown that cupuassu proteins presented a significantly superior (p ≤ 0.05) biological value as compared to cocoa proteins, promoting a 57.4% greater weight increase in the animals than cocoa proteins. With respect to the daily requirements of children and adults, the amino acid profile of cupuassu proteins presented a better performance than cocoa proteins. Keywords: cupuassu; cocoa; protein; amino acid; biological value. ResumoO cupuaçu de...