Comparative study on the proteolytic activities and storage globulins in seeds of Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd ex Spreng) Schum and Theobroma bicolor Humb Bonpl, in relation to their potential to generate chocolate‐like aroma

Abstract

The cocoa relatives T grandiflorum (cupuaçu) and T bicolor (macambo) are promising crop plants for sustainable agroforestry in the Amazon region of South America. The market for cupuaçu is expanding since the fruit flesh is utilised by the foodstuffs industry. Attempts to commercialise chocolatelike wares from the seeds have failed so far because of unreliable product quality. It is not known whether this is due to an insufficient aroma potential of cupuaçu seeds. We therefore investigated the proteolytic enzymes and the seed storage globulins which are both decisive for the formation of aroma precursors in cocoa. We found that the activities of the aspartic endopeptidase and the carboxypeptidase in T bicolor and T grandiflorum differed slightly from those in cocoa. The specificity of the carboxypeptidase for hydrophobic amino acids was quite similar across the three species, while the optimal pH of the T grandiflorum enzyme was lower than that of the other species. The qualitative and quantitative differences between the globulins indicate a lower maximum yield of aroma precursors in T grandiflorum and a higher maximum yield of aroma precursors in T bicolor, compared to cocoa. We conclude that the quality of chocolate-like products made from the studied cocoa relatives can be improved by adapting fermentation procedures to particular biochemical features of these seeds.

Propriedades físicas de substitutos do cacau

“…São dois frutos filogeneticamente próximos, mas morfologicamente distintos. O parentesco entre eles pode ser confirmado através da composição e das propriedades bioquímicas de suas sementes, além da presença dos alcaloides purínicos (metilxantinas) nelas encontrados, os híbridos das duas espécies são capazes de produzir grande quantidade de frutos (REISDORFF et al, 2004;yANG et al, 2003). A polpa do cupuaçu, parte mais utilizada, que corresponde de 35 a 40% da fruta, é a maior responsável por seu custo (yANG et al, 2003, NAzARÉ, 2000QUEIROz;GARCIA, 1999 …”

Tejate:Theobroma CacaoandT. bicolorin a Traditional Beverage from Oaxaca, Mexico

“…T. bicolor is a semi-domesticated species, sometimes used as a shade tree for T. cacao (Young 1994). While the seed of cacao blanco can be processed like that of cacao de chocolate to make chocolate, it is generally considered inferior, due to slight biochemical differences which are critical for formation of the aromas that define chocolate flavor (Reisdorff et al 2004). However, the fat (cocoa butter) extracted from the seed of cacao blanco is of good quality and is widely used in some areas, as is the fruit that surrounds the seeds (FAO 1986).…”

First Microsatellite Markers Developed from Cupuassu ESTs: Application in Diversity Analysis and Cross-Species Transferability to Cacao

“…From the pulp, several products are manufactured, such as juices, ice creams, liquors, jams, jellies, creams and sweets [ 2 , 3 ]. Cupuassu seeds have a high quality fat, composed mainly of oleic and stearic acid [ 4 , 5 ], from which a product similar to chocolate, called cupulate , can be obtained [ 6 – 8 ]. Moreover, cupuassu received attention because of its proteolytic activity, useful in food industry [ 8 ], its antioxidant and cytotoxic activity, as well as its action in increasing glucose tolerance [ 9 – 11 ].…”

“…Cupuassu seeds have a high quality fat, composed mainly of oleic and stearic acid [ 4 , 5 ], from which a product similar to chocolate, called cupulate , can be obtained [ 6 – 8 ]. Moreover, cupuassu received attention because of its proteolytic activity, useful in food industry [ 8 ], its antioxidant and cytotoxic activity, as well as its action in increasing glucose tolerance [ 9 – 11 ]. Due to its potential for the “chocolate” industry—particularly in the actual period of announced cacao beans and chocolate shortage [ 12 , 13 ]–studies related to cupuassu species are increasing at molecular and breeding level [ 14 – 17 ].…”