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Mineral essential elements for nutrition in different chocolate products
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition
Abstract
In this work, the essential mineral nutritional elements in cocoa beans, in chocolates at different cocoa percentage (60,70,80 and 90%) and in milk chocolate are evaluated. Dark chocolates are confirmed as an excellent source of magnesium (252.2 mg/100 g) and iron (10.9 mg/100 g): in chocolate containing 90% cocoa, their content corresponds to, respectively, 67.0% and 80.3 of Nutrient Reference Values (NRV) in the European Union. The chocolate containing 90% cocoa is also a good source of zinc (3.5 mg/100 g), which is important for the immune system, and selenium (0.1 mg/100 g). Three main components suitable to explain the mineral concentrations are analyzed by factor analysis. The component 1 can be interpreted as the contribution from the cocoa beans, owing to the mineral characteristics of the soil in which they have grown; the component 2 is mainly due to the manipulation and transformation of the cocoa in chocolate, while the component 3 represents the milk powder.
... The ash content of chocolate is mainly related to the mineral elements of cocoa mass and the literature refers to the potential of dark chocolate as a significative source of essential elements to the human diet [46][47][48][49]. Our results varied between a narrow range from 1.7% to 1.9%, lower than previous works on milk chocolate with spices [50], moringa leaf powder [51] and dark chocolates from different geographical origins [49]. ...
... According to the available literature, hardness is correlated with the particle size distribution of solids [63][64][65]. Colour is a fundamental criterion for the food industry and is the basis for many consumer purchasing choices [48]. The chocolate industry is no exception and is commonly used as a quality parameter [66][67][68]. ...
... Calcium (Ca) ranged from 648.9 mg/kg (control) to 1052 mg/kg (9% baobab), similar to previous reports on plain dark chocolate [46]. Calcium is the element with the highest concentration in the human body and is required for muscle contraction, nerve impulse transmission, hormone secretion and the formation of bones and teeth [48]. Phosphorus (P) ranged from 667.9 mg/kg (control) to 795.9 mg/kg (9% baobab). ...
In recent years, cocoa and dark chocolate have attracted the interest of consumers not only for their sensory characteristics but also for their nutritional properties and positive impact on health. The baobab is a fruit of African origin with a sour and slightly sweet flavour, widely consumed by local communities due to its unique nutritional features. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of the concentration of baobab flour in the development of functional dark chocolate, including physical, chemical, nutritional and sensory evaluations. The results presented a positive correlation between the incorporation of baobab flour and the antioxidant activity (up to 2297 mmol TE/100 g), vitamin C content (up to 49.7 mg/100 g), calcium (up to 1052 mg/kg), potassium (up to 10,175 mg/kg), phosphorus (up to 795.9 mg/kg), chlorine (up to 235.4 mg/kg) and sulphur (up to 1158 mg/kg). The sensory evaluation of dark chocolate with 3% baobab presented the highest evaluation on the parameters “texture” and “overall flavour”, while the parameter “overall flavour” presented the lowest evaluation on chocolate with 9% baobab. No influence was observed on fatty acid profile, protein, fat and hardness.
... 10% jego suchej masy. Ponadto jest znaczącym źródłem wielu witamin i minerałów istotnych dla diety człowieka, głównie: magnezu, cynku, miedzi, potasu, ryboflawiny i żelaza [4,5]. Innymi bioaktywnymi składnikami są metyloksantyny (kofeina i teobromina w proporcji 1:5) oraz serotonina, jej prekursor, tryptofan i β-fenyloetyloamina (PEA) [6][7][8]. ...
... 1). Źródło: [5] Wapń jest podstawowym składnikiem budulcowym kości i zębów. Bierze także udział w przewodnictwie bodźców nerwowych, krzepnięciu krwi, kurczliwości mięśni oraz aktywacji niektórych enzymów [11]. ...
... W 100-gramowej tabliczce gorzkiej czekolady, w zależności od zawartości kakao, jego poziom wynosi od 79,50 mg do 90,80 mg, tym samym 30 g (5 kostek) pokrywa od 2,4% do 2,7% RDA (ang. recommended dietary allowance) [5]. ...
Introduction and objective
Chocolate is one of the most popular food products worldwide. Sometimes the smell or consistency alone evokes a feeling of happiness among consumers. Although dark chocolate appears to be a wellknown product, there is a lot of misinformation about it, based on incomplete or outdated data which should be updated due to its growing popularity. The aim of this study was to summarize the available scientific reports and on their basis to formulate clear conclusions.
Review methods
Scientific research was reviewed using electronic databases, such as PubMed and Google Scholar.
Brief description of the state of knowledge
Bitter chocolate is a product that combines attractive organoleptic features and a valuable composition. Many reports indicate the beneficial effect of the cocoa product. Promising research results suggest that it has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, neuroprotective, metabolic and antidepressant effects. However, despite many potentially beneficial biological effects it has on the human body, the risk of undesirable effects should not be overlooked. Taking into account the content of individual ingredients or their specific action, in some cases it is recommended to limit or permanently stop the consumption of dark chocolate.
Summary
Currently, more data show benefits than negative consequences of consuming dark chocolate. Overall, dark chocolate appears to be a nutritional component when consumed in reasonable amounts as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
... However, since then a considerable collection of literature detailing the nutritional profile of chocolate has been growing, as well as evidences to different protective pathways. Epidemiological and clinical studies have identified a range of biologically active compounds in chocolate with positive impact on health such as vitamins, minerals [2], bioactive amines or polyphenols. Some benefits of the consumption of chocolate, or cocoa, include antioxidant protection, increased immune response, increased cognitive abilities, beneficial effects on cardiovascular system, increased gastrointestinal motility [3], protective effect against DNA and cell damage. ...
... Mineral content of chocolate depends on the type of chocolate, the percentage of cocoa but also on the soil in which cocoa tree is grown [1,2], therefore influenced by geographical origin [29]. The results shown in Table 3 indicate that composition of chocolate include several macro-and microelements, including minerals and heavy metals. ...
... The decreasing order of such elements may generically be described as: K > Ca and S > Si > Cl > Zn > Fe > S n > P > Mg. As referred, potassium (K) presented the highest values, between 10.20 mg/g and 17.87 mg/g, in accordance with previous works [2,29]. The results of calcium (Ca) ranged between 1.05 mg/g and 2.50 mg/g, and were not influenced by geographical origin of cocoa (p > 0.01). ...
In the past few years, an increasing growth has been observed in the demand for premium or specialty chocolates, including single origin, produced exclusively from cocoa beans from selected regions, characterized by a specific chemical profile. A comparative study was made with commercial dark chocolates produced with cocoa from Brazil, Cuba, Madagascar, Mexico, Dominican Republic, São Tomé and Venezuela, including nutritional profile, bioactive compounds, mineral composition, organic acids and methylxanthines. Results presented a significant influence of geographical origin on the chemical profile, based on post-hoc single-step multiple comparison Tukey's HSD test and principal component analysis (PCA). Brazil presented the highest content on PUFA and riboflavin. Brazil and Madagascar presented the highest content on γ-tocopherol, α-tocopherol, antioxidant activity and citric acid. Venezuela presented the highest niacin, Fe and caffeine content. Mexico presented the highest content on fructose. São Tomé presented the highest levels on minerals S and P. However, further investigations should aim for a higher standardization on critical stages, from the selection of varieties to industrial processing.
... Some literature outlines Al, Ba, Fe, Co, Cr, and Mo as possible contaminants in cocoa beans. On the other hand, they could arise from industrial processes during the preparation of chocolate [28]. ...
... The mean concentration of Ca in the dark chocolate samples ranged from 337.68 mg/kg in S2 to an almost three-fold higher concentration in S6 (908.12 mg/kg). The obtained results were in line with the results reported in the literature [28][29][30]32]. On the other hand, higher values for the content of Ca in dark chocolate were reported by other authors [25,27,31]. ...
... Potassium (K) was measured in concentrations of 695.3−2962.1 mg/kg in samples S2 and S12, respectively, which is substantially lower compared to the data [27][28][29][30]32]. ...
Cocoa beans are part of the cocoa plant fruit (Theobroma cacao L.) used to prepare various products such as chocolate, cocoa butter, jelly, liqueurs, cosmetics, etc. Dark chocolate is consumed worldwide by different populations and is known for its good taste, making it one of the most favoured food products. This work aimed to determine the content of total polyphenols (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC), and the antioxidant potential measured through the ability to scavenge DPPH free radicals (DPPH), ferric reducing power (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), as well as major and trace elements contained in twelve commercially available dark chocolate samples, with cocoa content ranging from 40% to 99%. The total polyphenols content ranged between 10.55 and 39.82 mg/g GAE, while the total flavonoid content was from 10.04 to 37.85 mg/g CE. All applied antioxidant assays indicate that the sample with the highest cocoa percentage shows the greatest antioxidant activity (DPPH: 48.34% of inhibition; FRAP: 89.00 mg/g GAE; TAC: 83.86 mg/g AAE). Statistical methods were applied to establish the differences between the samples concerning TPC, TFC, DPPH, FRAP and TAC, as well as to differentiate the samples according to the mineral content. The results indicated that the differences in TPC and TFC between different samples depended on the cocoa content and the addition of dried fruit pieces. A good correlation between antioxidant potency composite index (ACI) and declared cocoa content was noticed (R² = 0.8034), indicating that the declared percentage of cocoa is a reliable indicator for antioxidant activity of analysed dark chocolate samples. The nutritional evaluation proved that the studied chocolate samples were an excellent source of Mg, Fe, Mn and Cu.
... , and Cinquanta et al. (49). It is known that the Cu in chocolates originates from Cu compounds used as pesticides while (3,14,22,49). ...
... , and Cinquanta et al. (49). It is known that the Cu in chocolates originates from Cu compounds used as pesticides while (3,14,22,49). The Ni content in chocolate also depends on the cocoa content (50). ...
... The source of Ni in milk chocolate is related to the cocoa used as raw material (50). The results for Fe and Zn in this work were similar to those reported in the literature (49). In the literature, it is stated that the element content in chocolate is related to the way the cocoa bean is produced, the chocolate production process, and packaging (19,25,50). ...
Background:
Chocolate is a rich source of essential and non-essential elements. A new liquid-liquid extraction approach, extraction induced by emulsion breaking (EIEB), is proposed in which the analyzed elements are transferred from the organic phase to the aqueous phase before measurement by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS).
Objective:
To compare EIEB to microwave digestion (MWD) for extraction of elements from chocolate prior to FAAS.
Methods:
EIEB parameters were varied to optimize the procedure. EIEB-FAAS was then compared to MWD-FAAS for the analysis of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn in milk and dark chocolate samples. A certified reference material (NIST 2384, baking chocolate) was analyzed to determine recoveries of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn by the two methods.
Results:
The optimized EIEB extraction method involves dilution of tempered chocolate with toluene, ultrasonic emulsification with acidified Triton X-114, breaking the emulsion by heating, and centrifugation to produce two well-defined phases. Analysis of dark and milk chocolate samples showed similar repeatability by EIEB-FAAS (RSDr 0.3 to 6.6% in dark and 0.5 to 8.7% in milk) and MWD-FAAS (RSDr 0.5 to 5.4% in dark and 0.7 to 10.2% in milk), with no significant difference detected between methods for analysis of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn based on Student's t-test. Analysis of NIST 2384 baking chocolate certified reference material for Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn demonstrated recoveries of 98.6 to 99.5% for EIEB-FAAS compared to 95.8 to 98.6% for MWD-FAAS.
Conclusion:
EIEB-FAAS was shown to provide high recovery and excellent repeatability for accurate determination of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn from dark and milk chocolates.
Highlight:
The EIEB-FAAS method is simpler and requires fewer reagents compared to other sample preparation methods and allows the calibration to be carried out using aqueous calibration solutions.
... Mineral components are essential for proper functioning of the body [Nebesny and Żyżelewicz 2007]. Studies show that cocoa powder and chocolate are a good source of iron, sodium, potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium [Ieggli et al. 2011, Cinquanta et al. 2016. Magnesium increases the strength of heart muscle contraction, regulates blood clotting, has a positive effect on blood pressure, regulates enzymatic reactions, lipid metabolism and DNA synthesis. ...
... Also important is iron, an essential element in the production of red blood cells and in the transport of oxygen. Iron deficiency in the body can cause fatigue, anemia, disorders of the immune and nervous systems [Orkusz et al. 2018] The bioavailability of iron is much higher in chocolate than in other vegetables due to the low level of phytic acids contained in it [Cinquanta et al. 2016]. Phosphorus, in turn, takes part in the mineralisation of bones and teeth [Foster et al. 2008]. ...
... The difference was approximately 30%. In the literature the average potassium content in cocoa beans was determined between 196 and 583 mg·100 g -1 [Afoakwa et al. 2013, Pinto et al. 2013, Bertoldi et al. 2016, Cinquanta et al. 2016, Louriero et al. 2016]. In a study by Araujo et al. [2017], the total phosphorus content was 266 mg·100 g -1 for cocoa beans grown in Brazil. ...
... No adverse effects of excessive consumption from food alone have been documented [31]. Dark chocolate was a good source of magnesium as well, which was also confirmed by other authors [32]. ...
... The highest amount of Fe, 0.109 mg/g, was found in the sample of 90% chocolate. The same amount of Fe was found in 90% dark chocolate by Cinquanta et al. [32], which makes high-percentage dark chocolate an excellent source of this essential metal. Moreover, the different content of iron together with zinc, phosphorus, and other trace elements can reflect the mineral composition of the soil in which the cocoa beans have been growing, indicating the differences observed due to the origin of cocoa [33]. ...
... Moreover, the different content of iron together with zinc, phosphorus, and other trace elements can reflect the mineral composition of the soil in which the cocoa beans have been growing, indicating the differences observed due to the origin of cocoa [33]. Zn has an important influence on the immune system and the lack of this mineral can cause atrophy of lymphoid organs [32]. Zinc was not detected in all tested samples. ...
The biological activity of chocolates gains more and more attention of consumers. Its antioxidant properties depend, among other factors, mainly on the origin of cocoa and the characteristics that this origin gives to the final product. Therefore, the aim of the study was to measure and compare the total content of polyphenols, antioxidant activity, and key odorants of commercial chocolates made from blend cocoa with single-origin ones. The highest content of polyphenols was found in 90% blend cocoa chocolate and single-origin samples, while the lowest content was exhibited by 100% chocolate from blend cocoa mass. The highest antioxidant activity measured by 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays was observed in the sample of chocolate with 90% cocoa solids from blend mass, followed by single-origin chocolates. A high positive correlation between ABTS assay and the total polyphenol and phenolic acids’ content, as well as among the total content of polyphenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids was found. Mineral composition analysis showed that dark chocolate is a valuable source of some elements, especially Mg, Fe, and Zn. Potentially toxic elements were not detected or below permitted limits. Moreover, it was noticed that the main volatile compound in all tested samples was acetic acid, but pyrazines were considered the most important group of chocolate odorants.
... The strategic role of the cacao commodity has become an attraction for the development of research today, especially related to nutrition in cacao beans. Cacao beans are a source of nutrients which are very rich in essential minerals [2]. ...
... Copper is also needed in the process of growing young red blood cells. According to [2], Mineral essential elements for nutrition in different chocolate products. Samples analyzed for significantly higher copper content were observed in chocolate containing 90% cacao (dark chocolate) which was 2.0 mg/100 g. ...
... Iron also acts as a transportation medium for electrons in cells, and as an important part that is integrated with enzyme systems in various body tissues [9]. According to [2], Mineral essential elements for nutrition in different chocolate products. The samples analyzed for iron content were observed in milk chocolate, namely 1.19 mg/100 g. ...
This study aims to comparison micronutrient (Fe, Cu and Mn) concentrations in cacao beans and its potential as food product for fulfilling body nutritional adequacy, cacao beans comes from plantation area and transmigration area. The content of micronutrient was analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP)-OES Perkin Elmer Optima 8300. The results obtained that the average content of Fe, Cu, and Mn in cacao beans from plantation and transmigration area were 2.022 mg/100 g; 3.009 mg/100 g; 1.571 mg/100 g and 2.684 mg/100 g; 2.202 mg/100 g; 1.801 mg/100 g respectively. Analysis results indicated that Fe, Cu and Mn content in cacao content from plantation and transmigration area can be used as raw material for food products to fulfill the body nutritional adequacy.
... The Iron content of the Formulated Dark chocolate incorporated with encapsulated phytochemicals was 11.1 + 0.1mg/100g. A similar result was found in the study by [11] who documented similar the iron content in dark chocolate (11.24 ± 0.25mg). The magnesium content of the formulated Dark chocolate was found to be 245.31 ...
... The Phosphorous content of the formulated dark chocolate was found to be 297.7 + 0.60 mg/100g respectively. A similar accordance was found in the study by [11] 297.63 ± 9.37mg and it was merely similar to the formulated dark chocolate. From this, it can be concluded that the formulated Dark chocolate has many essential mineral contents and was found to be Nutritious. ...
The spices and herbs are well known for its flavor and health benefits. The use of Phytochemicals from the Black cardamom (Amomum sublatum) and Black cumin (Nigella sativa) enriches the novel food products. Encapsulation is a widely used technique in food industries to entrap the volatile and bioactive components into a wall material and is used to enhance food products. This study aims to Formulate Dark chocolate with the incorporation of Encapsulated Phytochemicals and the Nutritional, and functional properties of the product will be assessed. Encapsulated phytochemicals from these spices were then incorporated to dark chocolate, a food product known for its health benefits. Combining dark chocolate's natural phytochemicals with the therapeutic properties of the encapsulated phytochemicals will result in a fortified product with enhanced antioxidant properties. The findings of this study show that the formulated dark chocolate contain favorable nutritional parameters, including energy content (812.5 ± 3.21kcal), protein (7.04 ± 0.06 g), fat (48.5 ± 0.3g), calcium (7.33 ± 0.11%), carbohydrates (86.45 ± 0.49g), moisture (2.58 ± 0.22%), ash (3.90 ± 0.07%), and notably high levels of total phenol content (4596.46 ± 3.49mg/ml) and antioxidant activity. It can be summarized from the current investigation that the formulated Dark chocolate incorporated with Encapsulated Phytochemicals from Black cardamom and Black cumin can be used by all age groups people to improve the antioxidant scavenging activity to prevent chronic diseases caused by free radical formation.
... The iron content was slightly higher in GAP than in the other two samples, probably due to the addition of red grape pomace. According to the literature, iron content in cocoa powder is about 25 mg/100 g [36]; in dry aronia pomace, it ranges from 7.5 to 8.6 mg/100 g [12]; whereas in red grape pomace, it ranges from 117 to 398 mg/100 g of dry weight, depending on the grape variety [37]. The concentrations of calcium and magnesium were higher in CC (13% and 27% respectively) than in GAP with KGAE, whereas GAP content was in between. ...
... The concentrations of calcium and magnesium were higher in CC (13% and 27% respectively) than in GAP with KGAE, whereas GAP content was in between. This could be due to the fact that cocoa is naturally abundant in calcium and magnesium, which could reduce the risk of hypertension and atherosclerosis [36,38]. On the other hand, CC had also the highest sodium content, which is disadvantageous in the risk of CVD [2,38]. ...
Cookie consumption can change the serum level of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and oxLDL receptors, both playing important roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the nutritional value and the antioxidant activity of whole grain cookies in which 24% of the cocoa powder was substituted with grape and aronia pomace and were further coated with edible films enriched with grape seed extract (GAP with KGAE) as well as the effects of their consumption on the serum level of oxLDL receptors in women. The proximate composition, mineral content, antioxidant activity, and starch digestibility in vitro of experimental and control cookies were determined. A group of 12–13 healthy women (median age 36) consumed 45 g of GAP with KGAE or commercial cookies for 10 days. The results showed that GAP and KGAE cookies had increased flavonoid content (22%) and antioxidant potential (27–73%) compared to the control. The content of slowly digestible starch prevailed over rapidly digestible starch. The serum concentrations of the oxLDL receptors between the test and control groups were similar. We can conclude that the moderate consumption of whole grain cookies with fruit by-products does not lead to the formation of oxLDL receptors in healthy women.
... Iron ( 56 Fe, 57 Fe) contents in all chocolates (Table 5) were higher than previously reported (Cinquanta et al., 2016;Ieggli et al., 2011). The high content of iron was primarily caused by the large content of iron in cocoa mass ( Table 3) that was used in chocolate production. ...
... All of our chocolates, with and without added cocoa shell had selenium content that was in that range. Selenium is an essential element whose content in chocolate depends on the share of cocoa and it is important for the human immune system because it is present in active sites of some enzymes in human metabolism (Cinquanta et al., 2016). ...
Cocoa shell is rich in bioactive components, but also contains significant amounts of micro and macro elements, but also toxic elements. In this study, we examined the contents of different elements in cocoa shell, cocoa mass and the effect of high voltage electrical discharge (HVED) on the contents of these elements in the cocoa shell. Also, dark and milk chocolates were produced with different contents of untreated and HVED treated cocoa shell for which was also conducted ICP-MS analysis of these elements. HVED treatment caused a decrease in potassium, cadmium, uranium, cobalt, nickel, iron, molybdenum, chromium, manganese and copper content. The analysis also showed that the contents of some elements were higher after HVED treatment, and the largest increase was observed for calcium. All chocolates produced with treated and untreated cocoa shells had the contents of toxic elements in a range already reported in the literature. After the addition of cocoa shell in chocolate, contents of iron and cobalt were higher than reported in the literature. This presents that, generally, chocolates with added cocoa shell could be safe for human consumption but there are also some opened questions about HVED's influence on these metals that need to be answered.
... On the other hand, the addition of milk, as a source of Ca, leads to a bigger content of this element, especially in white chocolate, where the addition of milk is the greatest. In this study, the highest content of Ca was obtained in milk and white chocolate, which is in accordance with data reported in the literature Ieggli et al. 2011b;Cinquanta et al. 2016. ...
... The highest value was obtained for both magnesium and phosphorus (Table 2). These results confirmed that chocolate is a strong source for Mg and a good source of phosphorus (Cinquanta et al. 2016). According to the tolerable upper intake level from reports prepared by national health organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other health benefit organisations, the recommended (or for toxic elements the maximum acceptable) intakes of elements for adults are as follows: Ba, approximately 1 mg; Ca, 1000-2500 mg; Cu, <10 mg; Fe, 9-31 mg; K, 2600-3510 mg; Mg, 150-350 mg; Mn: 1.8-2.3 ...
Chocolate, one of the most popular sweets in the world, is consumed by people of all ages. Available data point to significant increases in consumption and production. However, successful determination of elements in chocolate is still difficult because of the characteristics of the matrix which contains a high content of organic compounds, like hydrogenated vegetable oil, vegetable fats, solids from malt extract, salts, emulsifiers, etc., causing problems with appropriate decomposition or digestion of sample. In this study, chocolate samples were prepared according to two procedures: water bath and microwave-assisted mineralisation. The use of Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) allowed us to determine the elemental composition of dark, milk, and white chocolate bars available on the Polish market as well as a cacao sample (100% cocoa powder). The elements assessed were Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, S, Sr, and Zn. The obtained results were used to compare the effectiveness of sample pre-treatment methods and to assess the correlation between the concentrations of specific elements and type of chocolate by the application of chemometric and statistical tools. The research showed that levels of analysed macro- and microelements are directly connected with the type of chocolate, characterised by the variable contents of cocoa paste and added milk. Data for all samples after mineralisation shown that among macroelements P was the most abundant, followed by Mg, Ca, Na, K, and S. The major essential element with the highest level was Fe, followed by Zn and Cu. In the group of toxic metals the highest content was obtained for Ba, then Al and Sr, but none exceeded permissible values prepared by health benefit organisations.
... Other active components of cocoa are methylxanthines (caffeine and theobromine, with a 1:5 ratio), as well as serotonin, its precursor, tryptophan, and β-phenylethylamine (PGA) [15][16][17]. Moreover, cocoa is a significant source of many vitamins and minerals important in the human diet, mostly magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, potassium, riboflavin, and iron [18,19]. We distinguish dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate [19]. ...
... We distinguish dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate [19]. It is worth noting that the highest concentration of flavonoids and minerals is found in dark chocolate, particularly in 90% cocoa-containing chocolate [13,18,20]. That is why dark chocolate is preferred over milk and white chocolate [14]. ...
Migraine is a chronic disorder with episodic attacks, and patients with a migraine often report that certain factors can trigger their headache, with chocolate being the most popular type of food-based trigger. Many studies have suggested a link between chocolate and headaches; however, the underlying physiological mechanisms are unclear. As premonitory symptoms may herald migraine attacks, a question arises regarding whether eating chocolate before a headache is a consequence of a food craving or indeed a real trigger. Here, we aim to summarize the available evidence on the relationship between chocolate and migraines. All articles concerning this topic published up to January 2020 were retrieved by searching clinical databases, including EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google Scholar. All types of studies have been included. Here, we identify 25 studies investigating the prevalence of chocolate as a trigger factor in migraineurs. Three provocative studies have also evaluated if chocolate can trigger migraine attacks, comparing it to a placebo. Among them, in 23 studies, chocolate was found to be a migraine trigger in a small percentage of participants (ranging from 1.3 to 33), while all provocative studies have failed to find significant differences between migraine attacks induced by eating chocolate and a placebo. Overall, based on our review of the current literature, there is insufficient evidence that chocolate is a migraine trigger; thus, doctors should not make implicit recommendations to migraine patients to avoid it.
... The analysis of vitamin and mineral content showed that the samples under study had low levels of vitamins and macro-and microelements, which is typical for chocolate products in general [43]. Nevertheless, the results of the conducted research indicate a tendency to increase the content of both fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins and macro-and microelements in the experimental samples. ...
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent one of the most severe healthcare challenges for many countries, accounting for one-third of all deaths worldwide. One significant risk factor contributing to the increase in CVD prevalence is the disruption of dietary patterns, characterised by a deficiency of essential macro- and micronutrients in the population's diet. In this context, a particularly relevant direction in food biotechnology and preventive medicine is the nutritional prevention of CVD by developing new functional food products with pronounced health-promoting and cardioprotective properties. Mare's milk and resveratrol have a balanced chemical composition and can be utilised to prevent many chronic non-communicable diseases, including CVD. This study aims to develop functional milk chocolate enriched with dried mare's milk and resveratrol and determine its physicochemical properties and micronutrient profile. The replacement of cow's milk in chocolate with dried mare's milk and fortification using resveratrol powder resulted in significant changes in the product's properties, which varied depending on the quantity of added functional ingredients. These include the mass content of B vitamins, vitamins A and E, calcium, magnesium, essential amino acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Sensory analysis revealed changes in the product's organoleptic properties following incorporating these functional components. Thus, adding 20% dried mare's milk and 0.10% resveratrol can enhance the biological value and improve the sensory qualities of the chocolate products.
... The calcium, phosphorus, and potassium content found in the shell were similar to those reported by Yapo et al. (2013) in samples from a hybrid cocoa plantation derived from Forastero in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, while the magnesium content was lower. Cinquanta et al. (2016) evaluated the content of zinc (48.8 mg kg -1 ) and manganese (30.1 mg kg -1 ) in cocoa beans from Ghana and obtained values lower than those found in the shell. Microelements such as zinc and manganese present in cocoa husk, shell, and beans depend on fertilization in plantations, which is why variations can be attributed to the type of fertilizer and the richness of these microelements in the soil (Lares et al. 2014). ...
Worldwide, cocoa agribusiness generates about 48 million tons of cocoa pod husk residues annually, and 700 thousand tons of cocoa bean shell, by-products of the pulping and roasting processes. These residues, if not used, can represent an environmental problem. The aim of this research was to identify the potential and use of these by-products through their bromatological composition, lignocellulosic content, aromatic compounds, fatty acid profile, polyphenol and methylxanthine content, and antioxidant capacity. Extraction was made from cocoa husk and shell with a mixture of acetone-water (70:30), applying sonication (40 kHz 15 min-1) and maceration (4 h). Total polyphenols (Folin-Ciocalteau method), antioxidant capacity (DPPH and ABTS), catechin, epicatechin, caffeine, and theobromine (HPLC) were quantified. Aromatic compounds and fatty acid quantifications were evaluated through GC/MS-QP. Cocoa husk and shell stood out for their content of fiber, protein, lignocellulosic material, and fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, elaidic, and stearic). Volatile compounds such as pyrazines, esters, alcohols, and aldehydes were identified in the residues. The results showed that the husk had a higher content of total polyphenols than the shell (26.64 mg GAE g-1 vs. 19.18 mg GAE g-1). The shell exhibited higher values of epicatechin (21.64 mg g-1), theobromine (15.41 mg g-1), and caffeine (4.96 mg g-1) compared to the husk (6.07, 0.53, and 0.52 mg g-1, respectively). Due to their composition, these by-products can be used by different industries, and contribute to obtaining a higher added value and to the solution of environmental problems due to their use.
... chocolate bar samples is affected by various factors, including the ingredients used and their proportions during preparation. Similarly, the origin of the cocoa beans used in chocolate production influences the element concentration, which is dependent on the chemical composition of the soil(Cinquanta et al. 2016). The concentration of Ca increases as the percentage of cocoa decreases and as the proportion of milk added to the chocolate increases. ...
The objective of this work was the multi-element determination of Ca, Zn, Sr, Ba, Cu, Mn, Mg, and Cr in handmade chocolate samples after extraction induced by emulsion breakage (EIEB) using optical emission spectrometry with plasma induced by microwaves (MIP OES). After study of each parameter, the most efficient extraction conditions were obtained using 0.250 g of sample, 5.0 mL of extraction solution consisting of HNO3 1.5 mol L⁻¹ and Tween 80 1.5% m/v, submitted to an ultrasonic bath for 5 min, followed by breaking the emulsion by heating at 90 °C in a water bath for 4 min. The detection limits obtained, in mg kg⁻¹, were 0.35 (Cr), 0.013 (Zn), 0.064 (Sr), 0.083 (Ca), 0.46 (Fe), 0.010 (Ba), 0.099 (Cu), 0.016 (Mg), and 0.036 (Mn). Precision, based on the relative standard deviation (RSD%), was less than 9.8% (N = 7). The accuracy was confirmed by analyzing the SRM Baking Chocolate 2384 and comparing the proposed method with a calcination method. The method was applied to samples of chocolate bars made in the southern region of Bahia and containing cocoa contents at 50, 58, 60, 63, 70, 80, and 85%. The average results obtained were 328 to 1424 mg kg⁻¹ (Ca), 561 to 2152 mg kg⁻¹ (Mg), 7.8 to 251 mg kg⁻¹ (Cu), 8.5 to 304 mg kg⁻¹ (Mn), 6.22 to 98.32 mg kg⁻¹ (Fe), 8.38 to 80.2 mg kg⁻¹ (Zn), 3.4 to 175 mg kg⁻¹ (Ba), and 2.15 to 12.79 mg kg⁻¹ (Sr). It was observed that as the percentage increases cocoa, there is a tendency to increase the concentration of the studied elements. The developed method has satisfactory precision and accuracy, and is simple, fast and with low consumption of reagents, has good sensitivity, especially when compared to digestion methods.
... Hence, the importance of consuming dark chocolate, as it provides important minerals such as iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and phosphorus that are useful for the immune functions of the body, help maintain bone and tooth health, and can contribute to better sleep quality (Cinquanta et al., 2016). ...
Because of its taste, texture, and aroma, chocolate is consumed as a way to generate pleasant sensations. Due to its high caloric density, moderate consumption is recommended. Seeking to offer the benefits of this product to a more selective public, the aim of this research was to determine the chemical composition and sensory properties of a sugar-free dark chocolate added with inulin and sweetened with stevia extract obtained by pressurized hot water, which was compared with a commercial dark chocolate and accompanied by a sensory analysis of the samples. A completely randomized statistical experimental design was used to compare the properties of the alternative and commercial chocolates. The treatments were carried out in triplicate and the results obtained were analyzed by descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance with 95 % confidence level. The results showed that the treatment of stevia leaves with hot pressurized water allowed an extraction of 41.51 g of steviol glycosides for rebaudioside A and 6.76 g for stevioside per 100 g of leaves subjected to processing. The chemical analysis of the alternative and commercial chocolates indicated that the fat and total dietary fiber contents showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the dark chocolates, unlike the other components. Moisture, ash, fat, and protein contents were slightly higher in the two types of chocolate, and carbohydrate content was 4.1 % lower than in the commercial chocolate. Both products had 0 % added sugars and high dietary fiber content (> 37 %), and there was a reduction of 100 kcal/100 g compared to the commercial brand. Consumer sensory evaluation showed a higher level of liking (p < 0.05) for the elaborated chocolate with respect to the commercial product in attributes such as appearance, color, and texture. These findings suggest the use of stevia extracts obtained by pressurized hot water as a non-caloric sweetener for healthy, alternative dark chocolates suitable for people with diabetes.
... In the other varieties, concentrations were low (≤ 1.97 mg Kg −1 ). The data obtained by Cinquanta et al. (2016), when evaluating the mineral composition of cocoa seeds, were higher than the values found here. Copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) were detected at values lower than the LOQ of the method in all varieties. ...
The present study aims to evaluate the physicochemical composition and mineral profile of cocoa honey from different cocoa varieties (CCN51, PS1319, SJ02, and Parazinho) found in Brazilian territory. The results indicated that the validation parameters of the minerals analyzed (Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Sr, Zn, Ca, K, Mg, and Na) by microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP OES) were considered acceptable. Furthermore, cocoa honey was characterized as an acidic product, with low protein content and high amounts of soluble solids, sugars, and energy value. The presence of magnesium (132.08–198.16 mg Kg⁻¹), high amounts of zinc (3.01–18.76 mg Kg⁻¹), and low amounts of sodium (44.56–94.57 mg Kg⁻¹) provide significant reasons to encourage increased consumption of cocoa honey as a nutritious source. According to multivariate analysis, there was a greater predominance of minerals in CCN51, PS1319, and SJ02 varieties. PS1319 was characterized by the presence of Al, Fe, and Ni, while other parameters (Zn, Sr, N, K, Mg, and Ca) discriminated CCN51 and SJ02 varieties. Thus, the obtained data enabled the delineation of a physicochemical and nutritional profile of cocoa honey based on cocoa variety. This characterization is crucial for enhancing cocoa honey and its potential future technological applications and incorporation into new products.
Graphical Abstract
... The determination of the mineral content of the developed chips consisted of two steps. In the first step, the determination of mineral content in samples of dried apple, carrot, pear, table beet, zucchini, and flax seeds, chocolate (dark, milk, and white), freeze-dried powders (mango, bilberry, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, currant) was carried out by the technique of analysis by spectrophotometry plasma emission [34]. In the second step, the mineral content of the chips was determined by calculation, taking into account the mineral content of the dried components of the chips and their ratio in the finished product. ...
... Chocolate is a delicious confectionery product loved by many people around the world. This product is rich in carbohydrates, fat, and proteins and also contains appreciable amounts Original research paper O N L I N E F I R S T of polyphenols and other bioactive components such as minerals like magnesium and iron (Cinquanta et al., 2016;Arunkumar & Jegadeeswari, 2019). It consists of several solid ingredients like cocoa, sugar and/or milk powder that are dispersed in a continuous phase of cacao butter and/or milk fat, depending on the type of chocolate (Fernandez, Müller & Sandoval, 2013). ...
The lower content of phenolic compounds in white chocolate makes this confectionery product unhealthier and, thus, adequate for enrichment compared to other types of chocolates like dark or milk. Less phenolics in white chocolate is due to absence of dark cocoa solids, abundant in these compounds. This study aimed to develop a new product with a higher nutritional value than regular white chocolate by enriching white chocolate with blueberry juice as a natural source of polyphenols. Since phenolic compounds are highly sensitive to heat, light, oxygen, and pH, encapsulated form of blueberry juice was used to increase their stability in the product. Blueberry juice was encapsulated on maltodextrin (B/M) and added to white chocolate at 80 g/kg and 100 g/kg concentrations. Enrichment significantly (p<0.05) increased the content of total dietary fibres and carbohydrates in the white chocolate and decreased proteins and total fats. The addition of the encapsulates significantly (p<0.05) impacted all particle size parameters, especially volume-weighted mean D[3,4] which increased (14.38 mm for B/M80 and 16.00 mm for B/M100) compared to the control (13.06 mm). Rheological properties are of great importance for products like chocolate and the incorporation of the encapsulates significantly (p<0.05) increased the values of rheology parameters like Casson viscosity (1.04 Pa•s for B/M80 and 1.21 Pa•s for B/M100). Likewise, enrichment significantly (p<0.05) decreased the hardness of the sample (B/M80) compared to the control. Furthermore, the content of total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity significantly (p<0.05) increased following the added concentration of the encapsulates. The highest content of total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity was observed in the chocolate sample enriched with 100 g/kg of encapsulate. The colour of the enriched samples significantly (p<0.05) differed from the control sample. The impact of the added encapsulate on sensory properties was not significant (p>0.05) except for the sweetness. The enriched chocolate samples were less sweet. The results of this study indicate the potential of maltodextrin as a carrier of sensitive bioactive compounds for the enrichment of products like white chocolate.
... Data concerning the mineral including (Fe, Zn, Mg, K, and Cu) of cinnamon, ginger, mint, and their essential oils chocolate samples were recorded in In general, chocolates with cinnamon, ginger, and mint powder and their essential oils are nutritionally richer in mineral content (Fe, Zn, Mg, K, and Cu) than chocolate (control). Results were in accordance with results of Cinquanta et al., (2016) who described that dark chocolate has been confirmed as an excellent source of magnesium, iron, zinc and selenium. Also, Gul and Safdar, (2009) showed that cinnamon contained the highest amount of potassium and the lowest amount of sodium. ...
... The high polyphenol content of cocoa and its wide presence in many food products, makes it particularly interesting both from a nutritional point of view and health ( Khan et al., 2014;Ioannone et al., 2015;Da Silva Medeiros et. al., 2015;Cinquanta et al., 2016;Giacometti et al., 2016;Tsang et al., 2019). Polyphenols are not only antioxidant properties, but also affect sensory properties such as colour and taste (Kothe et al., 2013;Zyzelewicz et al., 2016;Dabas, 2016;Giacometti et al., 2014). ...
Economically, the development of biscuits from composite flours is advantageous. The utilization of
cocoa powder, banana flour and wheat flour in the production of composite biscuit aims at developing a
functional food that is relatively cheap and available. This study focuses on the evaluation of biscuit
produced from composite blends of cocoa powder, banana flour and whole wheat flour in the ratios 5:5:90,
10:10:80,15:15:70, 20:20:60, 25:25:50 and 0:0:100 (as the control) respectively. The biscuits samples were
evaluated for their proximate composition, antioxidants and sensory properties using standard procedures.
The proximate composition result revealed the biscuits were significantly different from one another and
these are in the ranges of 11.09 to 25.10 %,14.33 to 26.67%, 2.13 to 4.87%, 1.73- 9.47%, 1.85 to 3.77%
and 44.73 to 59.86% for protein content, fat, ash, moisture content, crude fibre and carbohydrate
respectively. The antioxidants properties results ranged as follows: reducing power (1.05-3.54mg/g), total
phenol (1.48-3.79mg/g), flavonoid (0.24-6.8mg/g), and total antioxidant. (2.9-9.91mg/g).
The sensory evaluation was also carried out for color, flavor, taste, crispiness and overall acceptability;
the results were 5.10 -7.80, 4.20- 7.50, 2.90 – 7.50, 4.60– 7.40 and 4.50- 7.70 respectively. The values for
the colour of the composite samples increased with increased inclusion of cocoa powder and banana flour.
Hence, samples with smaller inclusions are darker than those with higher inclusion of cocoa powder and
banana flour. Interestingly, sample containing 5% whole wheat flour and 10% each of cocoa powder and
banana flour was the best in terms of nutritional and sensory qualities.
... ompared to the cow milk chocolate and other plant-based milk chocolate.The current results in consistence withBelewu and Azeez (2008), who reported that calcium content was higher in cow milk compare with النوعية التربية وبحوث اسات در مجلة coconut milk chocolate. While, potassium content in cow milk was less than coconut milk chocolate.Cinquanta et al. (2016), reported that the amount of calcium, iron, potassium and zinc were(180.4, 1.19, 198.9 and 0.94 mg/100 g, respectively in cow milk chocolate. compared to all the other types of investigated chocolate. Our results showed that cow milk chocolate was high in Ca and iron (338.30 and 2.50 mg/100 g). ...
Abstract
Nowadays, food industry developing a range of plant-based milk
as alternatives to cow milk in order to meet the requirement of protein in
developing countries mainly for individuals suffering from lactose
intolerance. Rice, oat and coconut milk are a plant–based milk
alternative, which are rich in nutritional value. White chocolate was
prepared from cow, rice, oat and coconut milk. The result of chemical
composition of cow white milk chocolate showed no significant
difference in the protein contents compared to white chocolate prepared
from plant based milk. Coconut chocolate contains the highest percent of
fat (58.30%) and fiber (5.40%) compared to white milk chocolate which
showed (54.7%) of fat and non-fiber. The oat chocolate has the highest
percentage of carbohydrates (44. 0%).Minerals results showed that
calcium was high in cow and rice white milk chocolate and coconut white
milk chocolate was high in potassium. The pH values of plant based milk
were close to cow milk. Antioxidants activity of coconut white milk
chocolate was the highest (64.60%) compared to other prepared
chocolate. HPLC analysis of sugar profile extracted from cow milk
chocolate showed the presence of lactose sugar at a rate of 3.90%, and its
absence in chocolate prepared from plant-based milk. The sensory
evaluation of white chocolate revealed that the overall acceptability of
coconut chocolate, was more followed with oat, rice and the cow milk
chocolate. This study provides new visions for plant-based milk
alternatives which have high nutrients values to meeting the needs of
lactose intolerant people.
Keywords: plant-based milk, lactose intolerance, White Chocolate,
Sensory evaluation
... Data concerning the mineral including (Fe, Zn, Mg, K, and Cu) of cinnamon, ginger, mint, and their essential oils chocolate samples were recorded in In general, chocolates with cinnamon, ginger, and mint powder and their essential oils are nutritionally richer in mineral content (Fe, Zn, Mg, K, and Cu) than chocolate (control). Results were in accordance with results of Cinquanta et al., (2016) who described that dark chocolate has been confirmed as an excellent source of magnesium, iron, zinc and selenium. Also, Gul and Safdar, (2009) showed that cinnamon contained the highest amount of potassium and the lowest amount of sodium. ...
... Komposisi lain yang dominan dalam olahan brownies biji nangka ini yaitu cokelat. Cokelat dapat menjadi sebagai sumber magnesium (252,2 mg/100 g) dan zat besi (10,9 mg/100 g) yang baik (Cinquanta et al, 2016). Pemilihan biji nangka sebagai bahan yang ditonjolkan dalam inovasi penganan ini berkaitan dengan observasi potensi alam di Desa Taman, Kecamatan Grujugan, Kabupaten Bondowoso. ...
Adolescent girls are at higher risk of anemia due to an increased need for micronutrients such as iron, but also prone to iron deficiency caused by menstrual blood loss. Iron deficiency anemia could be harmful for teenage girls because it significantly affects cognitive and physical abilities, and results in giving birth to stunting babies if it is not well treated. In this counseling activity to prevent anemia for adolescent girls in Taman Village, Bondowoso, they were also provided with training in making brownies from jackfruit seeds. Interest in entrepreneurship followed by awareness of the dangers of anemia in adolescent girls can be increased through this activity. Parameters for assessing the success of this program are done by filling out questionnaires by participants. The results obtained indicate that the “SETIA (Sehat Tanpa Anemia)” activity program is beneficial for participants who take part in it.
... Furthermore, while a number of observational studies (from Europe and the United States) have documented a high intake of provitamin A and retinol equivalents (Elorinne et al. 2016;Schüpbach et al. 2017;Sobiecki et al. 2016;Nebl, Schuchardt, Ströhle, et al. 2019;Haddad et al. 1999;Rizzo et al. 2013;García-Morant et al. 2020;Weikert et al. 2020) as well as adequate vitamin A status in vegans (Elorinne et al. 2016;Schüpbach et al. 2017), several studies also indicate that some vegans have a low intake of provitamin A and/or a low vitamin A status (Elorinne et al. 2016;Sobiecki et al. 2016;Kristensen et al. 2015;Allès et al. 2017;Huang-Link et al. 2021;García-Morant et al. 2020). Studies with vegans in other parts of the world are needed as well as studies to identify vegan selenium-rich foods other than Brazil nuts (Cinquanta et al. 2016;Izydorczyk et al. 2021;Mirończuk-Chodakowska et al. 2019;Wang, Li, et al. 2021;Hadrup and Ravn-Haren 2021;Zhang, He, et al. 2020). ...
... Furthermore, while a number of observational studies (from Europe and the United States) have documented a high intake of provitamin A and retinol equivalents (Elorinne et al. 2016;Schüpbach et al. 2017;Sobiecki et al. 2016;Nebl, Schuchardt, Ströhle, et al. 2019;Haddad et al. 1999;Rizzo et al. 2013;García-Morant et al. 2020;Weikert et al. 2020) as well as adequate vitamin A status in vegans (Elorinne et al. 2016;Schüpbach et al. 2017), several studies also indicate that some vegans have a low intake of provitamin A and/or a low vitamin A status (Elorinne et al. 2016;Sobiecki et al. 2016;Kristensen et al. 2015;Allès et al. 2017;Huang-Link et al. 2021;García-Morant et al. 2020). Studies with vegans in other parts of the world are needed as well as studies to identify vegan selenium-rich foods other than Brazil nuts (Cinquanta et al. 2016;Izydorczyk et al. 2021;Mirończuk-Chodakowska et al. 2019;Wang, Li, et al. 2021;Hadrup and Ravn-Haren 2021;Zhang, He, et al. 2020). ...
Since the beginning of the 21st century, interest in vegan diets has been rapidly increasing in most countries. Misconceptions about vegan diets are widespread among the general population and health professionals. Vegan diets can be health-promoting and may offer certain important advantages compared to typical Western (and other mainstream) eating patterns. However, adequate dietary sources/supplements of nutrients of focus specific to vegan diets should be identified and communicated. Without supplements/fortified foods, severe vitamin B12 deficiency may occur. Other potential nutrients of focus are calcium, vitamin D, iodine, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin A, and protein. Ensuring adequate nutrient status is particularly important during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, and childhood. Health professionals are often expected to be able to provide advice on the topic of vegan nutrition, but a precise and practical vegan nutrition guide for health professionals is lacking. Consequently, it is important and urgent to provide such a set of dietary recommendations. It is the aim of this article to provide vegan nutrition guidelines, based on current evidence, which can easily be communicated to vegan patients/clients, with the goal of ensuring adequate nutrient status in vegans.
... The microcapsules obtained by spray drying with the best characteristics (indicated below as S3) were added during the production of chocolate bars, after the tempering step, at Dolceamaro firm (Monteroduni, Italy) [18]. The goal was to exceed 1% of total polyphenols in chocolate bars. ...
Cocoa bean shells were subjected to green extraction technologies, based on the absence of toxic organic solvents, to recover polyphenols; the extract was then encapsulated using a spray dryer and maltodextrin as coating agent. The best conditions observed in the spray drying tests (core-to-coating ratio 1:5; inlet temperature 150 °C; flow rate 6 ml min ⁻¹ ) were applied to produce the microcapsules used to enrich the same cocoa mass as the shells and processed for the preparation of the chocolate bars. Sensory analysis showed no significant differences between enriched chocolate bar and the unenriched reference one, except for the appearance. Both samples were then subjected to accelerated storage tests, at the end of which the polyphenols in the control chocolate bar (0.85 g 100 g ⁻¹ ) were reduced by about 50% (0.42 g 100 g ⁻¹ ), while in the enriched chocolate (1.17 g 100 g ⁻¹ ) by only 22% (0.97 g 100 g ⁻¹ ). The proposed process significantly enriched the chocolate bars with phenolic antioxidants recovered from cocoa waste without increasing the sensations of bitterness and astringency.
... In cocoa butter, the fatty acids are triacylglycerols, most of which are palmitic and stearic acids (Segall et al., 2005); in this respect, the fat component in chocolate affects many parameters during processing, storage and consumption, and in addition to two aforementioned saturated fatty acids includes the two major unsaturated acids oleic and linoleic acid (Melo et al., 2020). Dark chocolate is also an excellent source of magnesium, iron, zinc, and selenium (Cinquanta et al., 2016). ...
Cocoa is derived from the seeds of Theobroma cacao L., an evergreen tree typical of tropical regions. It contains numerous phytochemicals, with polyphenols representing the largest groups of compounds inside the seed, and has been implicated in numerous biological properties, such as antioxidant, antiproliferative, antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer. Moreover, cocoa has been investigated in different health conditions, including heart diseases, dyspepsia, nervous system diseases, circulation problems, and many others. Given its high consumption in many countries all over the world, it is important to know and understand its effects on human health. In addition, the cocoa bean shell, a by-product of the process of cocoa preparation, has been gaining remarkable interest due to its high content of phytochemicals. This review summarizes the available literature and works on the health benefits of cocoa and cocoa bean shells. Moreover, the current review focuses on studies investigating their possible therapeutic roles in cancer and the underlining potential mechanisms of action.
... The cocoa seeds from the fruit of "Theobroma cacao" tree (called it gift of ALLAH) are dried and fermented to make chocolate. Cocoa seeds in chocolate have fats (18%), proteins (34%), carbohydrates (17%) , fibers (14%), minerals like sodium (24mg/100g), potassium (559 mg/100g), calcium, magnesium (252 mg/100g), iron (10.9 mg/100g), zinc (3.5 mg/100g), selenium (0.1 mg/100g), poly-phenols, anti-oxidants (up to 12%), caffeine (20 mg/100g) and theobromine (Afoakwa, Quao, Takrama, Budu, & Saalia, 2013;Bertazzo, Comai, Mangiarini, & Chen, 2013;Chire-Fajardo, Arrunategui, Orihuela-Rivera, & Ureña, 2017;Cinquanta et al., 2016;D. L. Katz, K. Doughty, & A. Ali, 2011;McShea, Leissle, & Smith, 2009). ...
There is no metaphysics on earth like chocolate.” Chocolate is a
blessing which contain almost all nutrients necessary for the growth of
human health. In this study, composition of different branded
chocolates available in Pakistan including Dairy milk, Chocolate chip,
Toblerone (black), Toblerone (sweet), Nutella, Smarties, Now, Sonnet,
Novella and Snickers were qualitatively analyzed in triplicate. We
successfully study proteins, fats, carbohydrates, sugar, alcohol,
caffeine, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and nickel in different branded
chocolates. From the results it is confirmed that pH of all chocolates
are 6-9 depend on the concentration of cocoa which is same as
reported in literature. All the chocolates contain high amount of fats,
sugar and carbohydrates. Protein is present in excess amount in
Chocolate chips and Snickers while Smarties, Sonnet and Novella
contain small amount of protein but absent in rest of chocolate
samples. None of the chocolate sample contain traces of alcohol. All
chocolates contain calcium except Nutella, Now and Toblerone (black)
while magnesium is only present in Smarties. All chocolates contain
nickel except Sonnet and Now, zinc is absent in Sonnet, Now, Smarties
and Nutella whileiron is only present in Dairy milk and chocolate
chips. Some samples like Dairy milk, Chocolate chip, Toblerone
(black), Snickers and Toblerone (sweet) contain traces of caffeine
which act as stimulant and reduced liver damage. From the given
results it is also confirmed that chocolates contain important
ingredients which are helpful for proper body functioning.
... Yogurt is a coagulated milk product resulting from the fermentation of lactose in milk by Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermphilus (Corrieu et al., 2016) (Eslampour et al., 2020;Yada et al., 2013). In another study, dark chocolates are confirmed as an excellent source of magnesium and iron and chocolate containing 90% cocoa is believed to be a good source of zinc and selenium that is important for our immune system (Cinquanta et al., 2016). ...
... One of the nutrients often neglected in this and similar reviews is magnesium. Dark chocolate is known to be rich in magnesium, concentration being in the range 200-300 mg/100 g. 2 Actually, the NHS recommends 300 mg magnesium a day for men (19-64 years) and 270 mg a day for women (19-64 years)-then a bar of dark chocolate may well supply the recommended daily allowance of magnesium (US NIH RDA 420 and 320 mg/day, respectively). Milk chocolate contains only a fraction of this amount, white chocolate nothing at all. ...
I have read with interest and acknowledge the recent article by Krittanawong et al.¹ published in this journal. The authors identified six prospective studies published between 2007 and 2018 in which chocolate consumption was related to the incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD). Reported risk ratio was 0.92 (95% CI 0.86–0.99).
Cacao beans, a main ingredient of chocolate, contain more than 600 plant chemicals. The authors claim that different constituents from cocoa products may provide cardio-protective effects such as flavanols, methylxanthines, polyphenols, and stearic acid. Thus, the question arises whether the beneficial effects are induced by these single ingredients of dark chocolate or, at best, whether the effects recognized are the result of multifactorial interactions of nutrients present in cocoa.
One of the nutrients often neglected in this and similar reviews is magnesium. Dark chocolate is known to be rich in magnesium, concentration being in the range 200–300 mg/100 g.² Actually, the NHS recommends 300 mg magnesium a day for men (19–64 years) and 270 mg a day for women (19–64 years)—then a bar of dark chocolate may well supply the recommended daily allowance of magnesium (US NIH RDA 420 and 320 mg/day, respectively). Milk chocolate contains only a fraction of this amount, white chocolate nothing at all. Due to magnesiums’ physiological role, there are many reports describing its beneficial health effects. Due to its blood pressure lowering effects, its anti-inflammatory potential, because epidemiologically inversely related to CAD, dark chocolate was suggested as a potential prophylactic agent to reduce the CAD risk.³ In the recently published ARIC study, the incidence of CAD, defined as mortality or myocardial infarction, was related to serum magnesium concentration.
... mg/kg), contain Mn concentrations between 0.89 and 17.30 mg/kg according to a study performed in Nigeria, 51 as well as both cocoa and chocolate, with 30.1 mg/kg for cocoa and 3.1 mg/kg for milk chocolate. 52 Analysis of products used for preparation of school meals in Tajukistan demonstrated the highest Mn content for peas (8.292 ± 0.846 mg/kg), chickasano pea (9.14 ± 0.91 mg/kg), beans (12.3 ± 1.5 mg/kg), and wheat flour (8.07−9.46 mg/kg). ...
Manganese (Mn) is an essential element that participates in several biological processes. Mn serves as a cofactor for several enzymes, such as glutamine synthetase and oxidoreductases, that have an important role in the defense of the organisms against oxidative stress. The diet is the main source of Mn intake for humans, and adequate daily intake levels for this metal change with age. Moreover, in higher amounts, Mn may be toxic, mainly to the brain. Here, we provide an overview of Mn occurrence in food, addressing its bioaccessibility and discussing the dietary standard and recommended intake of Mn consumption. In addition, we review some mechanisms underlying Mn-induced neurotoxicity.
Expanding the range of healthy food products is one of the most promising areas in the field of food science. In recent years, there has been an active development of the global trend of functional nutrition aimed at strengthening general health, as well as preventing common non-communicable diseases and metabolic disorders. Chocolate, occupying a leading position among confectionery products, continues to demonstrate a steady growth in consumption on a global scale, which is due to its unique taste and sensory and functional properties. Modern trends in the food industry are aimed at further improving the composition and properties of chocolate, which makes it a promising object for scientific research and innovative developments. This review is devoted to the systematization and study of modern research aimed at developing functional types of chocolate that meet the principles of healthy nutrition. The paper considers the potential of bioactive components, such as polyphenols, probiotics, prebiotic components, dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and plant extracts, for use in the functionalization of chocolate. These compounds have pronounced antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective properties. Particular attention is paid to the role of bioactive components of cocoa and chocolate in the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases, strengthening the cardiovascular system, improving cognitive functions, and normalizing the composition of intestinal microbiota. In addition, promising areas in the field of production technologies and innovative solutions aimed at creating functional types of chocolate with improved consumer properties are considered. The relevance of these developments is due to the growing demand for food products that combine high taste qualities and functionality, which opens up new opportunities for health-oriented nutrition.
The history and controversy concerning aluminum use in beverage and food preparation and storage are reviewed. This review on aluminum in drinking water, foods, and beverages updates and exceeds prior reviews. Country and international organization regulations that permit incorporation of aluminum‐containing food additives, their use limit, and purposes are presented. The aluminum concentration in beverages and foods consumed worldwide was gleaned from ∼2100 sources available to the author. The ∼17,700 values are compiled in ∼175 tables by beverage or food category that include the analytical method used, sample source, and reference. The tables are posted on the internet (https://UKnowledge.uky.edu/alum/) and summarized and interpreted herein. The contribution of aluminum exposure during beverage and food preparation, packaging, and storage to the aluminum concentration in beverages and foods, and influencing factors, are addressed. Reports of aluminum intake by people from more than 50 counties were compiled, revealing a median daily intake by adults of 4.7 mg (0.089 mg/kg body weight) and greater intake by young children (0.28 mg/kg body weight). Compared to tolerable aluminum intake established by governments and organizations, 0.14–0.3 mg/kg/day, several studies, particularly from China, reported greater intake. Certainly, some people consume more than acceptable amounts of aluminum from beverages and foods.
The chapter reveals the significance of chocolate on the central
nervous system including the brain. The different variety of
chocolate and its composition is elucidated and its effect on health
is emphasized. The processing of chocolate from cocoa beans has
been illustrated in detail. It comprises the nutritive value of various
kinds of chocolate and its role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters
is vastly examined. This paper delves into the cognitive benefits
of chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, and its underlying
neurochemical mechanisms. We examine how the tryptophan in
dark chocolate is converted into serotonin, a neurotransmitter
linked to mood regulation and pleasure. Additionally, we explore
the potential impact of chocolate on neurological conditions such
as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and migraine.”
This study investigates the impact of lotus seed powder and chocolate addition on the frozen yogurt formulated with goat milk. It’s hypothesized that it would be a low-fat, high-protein, mineral-rich, healthy alternative to market-available dairy frozen desserts. Four different treatments T1 (7% cocoa powder (CP), milk 90%, lotus seed powder (LSP) 3%), T2 (5% CP, 90% milk, 5% LSP) and T3 (3% CP, 90% milk, 7% LSP) were created using lotus seed and cocoa powder, while T0 (100% pure goat milk) was used as the control. The product underwent a comprehensive evaluation, including a thorough assessment of its physicochemical, phytochemical, mineral, and sensory profiles. Prepared yogurt showed an increase in lotus seed powder i.e. 3, 5, and 7% showed reduction in moisture 31.3, 31.5 and 33.7%, respectively. pH ranged from a minimum of 4.41 in T0 to 5.72 in T2. The phytochemical analysis revealed the mean value of TPC, TFC and DPPH of the product in the range of 41.3–87.6 mg/GAE g, 118–147 mg/GAE g, 86–95 µg/mL. The mineral contents ranged 1405–1430 mg/g for Ca, and 149–165 mg/g for Mg. Sensory evaluation of the product revealed that T2 received the highest score for flavor, texture, color, and overall acceptance of the prepared product. Thus, the addition of lotus seed and cocoa powder to goat milk frozen yogurt demonstrated great sensory and nutritional advantages, making it optional for creating a fresh dairy product with high added values.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensory, physico-chemical, and functional properties of lupin-based chocolate dessert formulations. The lupin milk was prepared by grinding the peeled seeds after a debittering process which involved seed soaking for 6 hrs and the alkaline treatment with a hot solution of sodium bicarbonate (0.3 %, 93 °C) for 6 hrs. Five new formulations of lupin-based chocolate dessert were prepared by substituting the lupin milk with dark chocolate at different ratios ranging from 5 to 25% with an interval increase of 5 %.The obtained results showed the significant effect of the substitution ratio on the sensory, physicochemical and functional properties of lupin-based chocolate dessert. A significant gradual improvement in the sensory characteristics was observed with theincrease in the substitution ratio. Similarly, a significant gradual increase in the proximate chemical composition, except the content of protein and Ca, was observed with the increase in the substitution ratio. Contrary, the water holding capacity showed also a decreasing tendency when the substitution ratio increased. Using lupin milk as alternative to cow milk and using dark chocolate as a partial substitute to lupin milk in the preparation of chocolate dessert is a promising technique due to the increased level of protein, fat, fiber, ash and water holding capacity of lupin-based chocolate dessert compared to the commercial dessert (Danette)..
The impacts of cocoa solids and coconut sugar on the sensory perception of bean to bar dark chocolate were investigated with mixture design using response surface methodology. The maximum and minimum levels of cocoa nibs, cocoa butter, and coconut sugar for the preparation of chocolate were 35–50%, 15–30%, and 20–35%, respectively. A suitable mathematical model was used to evaluate each response. Maximum and minimum levels of components caused a poor sensory acceptance of the resultant dark chocolate. The optimum level of independent variables, for the best set of responses, was 44.7% cocoa nib, 25.2% cocoa butter, and 30.2% coconut sugar, with a hedonic score of 8.28 for appearance, 8.64 for mouth feel, 8.71 for texture, 8.68 for taste, and 8.51 for overall acceptability, at a desirability of 0.86. The minimum time for grinding the chocolate mix was 24 hours, which was evident from the microscopic analysis of the chocolate mix. The optimized chocolate (70% dark) per 100 g constitutes 1.06 g moisture content, 50.09 g crude fat, 10.37 g crude protein, 35.90 g carbohydrates, and 2.55 g ash content. The L a, b values indicated a darker colour and was stable under ambient conditions with a hardness value of 59.52N, which significantly decreased to 16.23N within 10 min at ambient temperature. The addition of coconut sugar along with cocoa solids incorporates polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidant potential and minerals into bean to bar dark chocolate and hence offers a commercial value and health potential for stakeholders.
Magnesium (Mg) is an element involved in various key cellular processes in plants. Mg transporter (MGT) genes play an important role in magnesium distribution and ionic balance maintenance. Here, MGT family members were identified and characterized in three species of the plant family Malvaceae, Theobroma cacao, Corchorus capsularis, and Gossypium hirsutum, to improve our understanding of their structure, regulatory systems, functions, and possible interactions. We identified 18, 41, and 16 putative non-redundant MGT genes from the genome of T. cacao, G. hirsutum, and C. capsularis, respectively, which clustered into three groups the maximum likelihood tree. Several segmental/tandem duplication events were determined between MGT genes. MGTs appear to have evolved slowly under a purifying selection. Analysis of gene promoter regions showed that MGTs have a high potential to respond to biotic/abiotic stresses and hormones. The expression patterns of MGT genes revealed a possible role in response to P. megakarya fungi in T. cacao, whereas MGT genes showed differential expression in various tissues and response to several abiotic stresses, including cold, salt, drought, and heat stress in G. hirsutum. The co-expression network of MGTs indicated that genes involved in auxin-responsive lipid metabolism, cell wall organization, and photoprotection can interact with MGTs.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the variability, partition, and correlation of Fe, Mn, and Zn in the leaves and fruit components (pod husk,
pulp, tegument, and cotyledons) of cacao trees. These contents were also
correlated with chemical attributes of the soils in regions classified as
humid (H), humid to sub-humid (SH), and sub-humid to dry (SD) in the
South Bahia, Brazil. Soils samples were collected, along with leaves and
fruits from the PH16 clone of the cacao tree, for analysis of Fe, Mn, and
Zn. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation were applied, as well as
Shapiro Wilk’s normality test and Tukey’s test for comparison of the climate
regions. The accumulation order for Fe and Zn in the fruit components
was tegument > pod husk > leaf > cotyledons; and for Mn the order was
pod husk > leaf > tegument > cotyledons. The increase in hydric restriction,
from the most humid region to the driest, causes natural bioconcentration
of Fe, Mn, and Zn in the fruit components used to produce food (cotyledons and pulp). The Mn contents in the leaf can be used as indicators of
its accumulation in the cotyledon and cacao pulp.
Herbal‐based chocolate consists of micro nutrients and spices, which can be consumed in infinite combinations. This research examines the combination of Centella asiatica, Abelmoschus esculentus and Psidium guajava in the process of chocolate formulation. The concentration of product was optimized based on taste, flavour, texture and stability. The optimized concentration was subjected to Nutritional, Stability, Sensory, Anti‐oxidant, Antimicrobial and shelf life analysis. The Nutritional analysis shows an increased level of calcium (67.8 mg), iron (2.34 mg) and sodium (355 mg) per 100g in the formulated chocolate in comparison to the conventionally available chocolates. The antioxidant activity was determined to be 52.15% by DPPH assay. The product has antimicrobial activity against tooth decaying organisms, Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus. The shelf life of the product was found to be thirty‐five days. The observations made from various analyses conclude that the formulated product Phytolate has enriched micronutrients and medicine.
In order to test current quality and nutritional merits of chocolate, 54 dark, plain and milk chocolate samples as well as cocoa were collected from the Austrian market and analyzed for many nutrient, essential and non essential elements, including the non-metals B, Si, S, and I. The cocoa contents ranged from 20-100%. Among the non-wanted trace elements, nickel was Gaussian distributed with a rather high mean of 4.9 mg/kg. Cd largely ranged below 0.20 mg/kg, but a few were higher, reaching 0.90 mg/kg. Contrary to previous studies, the same sample set was used to determine the contents of several element groups to look for interelement effects. Compared with element levels met in other sweets, element contents in chocolate were significantly higher. Many trace elements, like B-Co-Cr-Cu-Fe-Mn-Zn, ranged at levels met in green plants. Nickel concentrations were surprisingly high and about Gaussian distributed. Silicon was frequently higher than aluminium. Contaminants Pb, As, V, and Tl were very low, Cd was variable. Factor analysis grouped the element concentrations into B-Co-Cu-Mg-Mn-NiP -S-Zn, Al-Cr-Fe-Si, and Ca-J-Na, which might represent a component from the cocoa bean, its outer shell, and milk. Contrary to other sweets, consumption of 100 g of chocolate satisfies the recommended daily intake for Cr-Cu-Fe, and 300 g for Mg and Zn, which is particularly important for the adequate trace element supply of children and vegans.
Chocolate and cocoa are extensively used in many cultures. Although their composition has been studied, the functional significance of the components has not been as well defined. There are indications that cocoa constituents exert beneficial effects on human health, and therefore cocoa and chocolate may be considered functional foods. The use of functional foods to modulate human health has gained greater significance in recent years, and chocolate is widely consumed throughout society. We performed an extensive review of literature in both animal and human systems with respect to composition, bioavailability, comparative analysis with other food products and, especially, implications for cardiovascular disease and the human immune system. Although chocolate contains a high amount of saturated fats, the two major fatty acids are palmitic and stearic acid, which appear to have fewer implications for progression of coronary artery disease than other saturated fatty acids. In addition, the implications of flavonoids and other polyphenols in chocolate as antioxidants are significant, and their ability to modulate the immune system may also be applicable to infection and neoplasia. In this review, we attempt to place these issues in perspective and to provide the reader with an extensive summary of the literature on chocolate and cocoa and their potential mechanisms of action with respect to human health.
There is substantial interest in chocolate and flavan-3-ols for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
The objective was to systematically review the effects of chocolate, cocoa, and flavan-3-ols on major CVD risk factors.
We searched Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of chocolate, cocoa, or flavan-3-ols. We contacted authors for additional data and conducted duplicate assessment of study inclusion, data extraction, validity, and random-effects meta-analyses.
We included 42 acute or short-term chronic (≤18 wk) RCTs that comprised 1297 participants. Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR: -0.67; 95% CI: -0.98, -0.36) was improved by chocolate or cocoa due to significant reductions in serum insulin. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) improved after chronic (1.34%; 95% CI: 1.00%, 1.68%) and acute (3.19%; 95% CI: 2.04%, 4.33%) intakes. Effects on HOMA-IR and FMD remained stable to sensitivity analyses. We observed reductions in diastolic blood pressure (BP; -1.60 mm Hg; 95% CI: -2.77, -0.43 mm Hg) and mean arterial pressure (-1.64 mm Hg; 95% CI: -3.27, -0.01 mm Hg) and marginally significant effects on LDL (-0.07 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.13, 0.00 mmol/L) and HDL (0.03 mmol/L; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.06 mmol/L) cholesterol. Chocolate or cocoa improved FMD regardless of the dose consumed, whereas doses >50 mg epicatechin/d resulted in greater effects on systolic and diastolic BP. GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation, a tool to assess quality of evidence and strength of recommendations) suggested low- to moderate-quality evidence of beneficial effects, with no suggestion of negative effects. The strength of evidence was lowered due to unclear reporting for allocation concealment, dropouts, missing data on outcomes, and heterogeneity in biomarker results in some studies.
We found consistent acute and chronic benefits of chocolate or cocoa on FMD and previously unreported promising effects on insulin and HOMA-IR. Larger, longer-duration, and independently funded trials are required to confirm the potential cardiovascular benefits of cocoa flavan-3-ols.
Sodium sensitivity (SS) is a variable response of blood pressure (BP) to changes in sodium intake. The present study evaluated the existence and the characteristics of subjects with SS in Koreans. One hundred one subjects with (n = 31, 57.7 ± 9.8 yr) or without hypertension (n = 70, 40.8 ± 16.5 yr) were given a low-sodium dietary approache to stop hypertension (DASH) diet (LSD) for 7 days and a high-sodium DASH diet (HSD) for the following 7 days. The prevalence of SS in the present study population was 27.7% (17.6% in the non-hypertensive subjects and 51.6% in the hypertensive subjects). Analysis of the non-hypertensive subjects showed that systolic BP, diastolic BP, and mean arterial pressure at baseline and after HSD were higher in the subjects with SS than the subjects without SS, and there were no differences after LSD. In the hypertensive subjects, there was no difference in the BP at baseline and after HSD whether or not the subjects had SS. However, the systolic BP of hypertensive subjects with SS was lower than hypertensive subjects without SS after LSD. In the present study population, subjects with SS have distinctive BP features unlike to subjects without SS.
Changes in acidification, proteolysis, sugars and free fatty acids (FFAs) concentrations of Ghanaian cocoa beans as affected by pulp preconditioning (pod storage or PS) and fermentation were investigated. Non-volatile acidity, pH, proteolysis, sugars (total, reducing and non-reducing) and FFAs concentrations were analysed using standard methods. Increasing PS consistently decreased the non-volatile acidity with concomitant increase in pH during fermentation of the beans. Fermentation decreased the pH of the unstored beans from 6.7 to 4.9 within the first 4 days and then increased slightly again to 5.3 by the sixth day. Protein, total sugars and non-reducing sugars decreased significantly (p < 0.05) during fermentation, whereas reducing sugars and FFA increased. PS increased the FFA levels, reduced the protein content but did not have any effect on the sugars. The rate of total and non-reducing sugars degeneration with concomitant generation of reducing sugars in the cocoa beans was largely affected by fermentation than by PS.
Samples of chocolate, cocoa, tea infusions, soft drinks and fruit juice have been examined by, electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETA-AAS) for the presence of aluminium (Al). Fruit juices and chocolate were analysed after an adequate sample preparation; the other products were evaluated directly. Sampling was performed in duplicate for 248 independent samples. The mean Al concentration in chocolate was 9.2 +/- 7.5 mg kg(-1), and individual values were correlated with the per cent of cocoa in samples (Y = 0.63 + 0.27X, r = 0.78, p < 0.0001). Al concentration in commercial tea infusions ranged from 0.9 to 3.3 mg l(-1) (mean = 1.80 +/- 65 mg l(-1), whereas in laboratory-prepared samples it was 2.7 +/- 0.93 mg l(-1). In soft drinks, the concentrations of Al were lower, ranging from 9.1 to 179 microg l(-1); the highest values were observed in samples of orange squash (mean = 114 +/- 56 microg l(-1)). Apricot juice showed the highest Al level (mean = 602 +/- 190 microg l(-1)), being statistically, different from that of pear (mean = 259 +/- 102 microg l(-1)), but not different from that of peach juice (mean = 486 +/- 269 microg kg(-1)). Toxicologically, the amount of Al deriving from the consumption of these products is far below the acceptable daily intake of 1 mg kg(-1) body weight indicated by the FAO/WHO, and it is a verv low percentage of the normal Al dietary intake.
Maternal zinc deficiency during pregnancy has been related to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Most studies in which pregnant women have been supplemented with zinc to examine effects on pregnancy outcome have been carried out in industrialized countries and the results have been inconclusive. This review discusses preliminary findings of eight randomized, controlled intervention trials performed recently in less-developed countries. It is based on evidence presented by investigators and discussed during a workshop held in Wageningen, The Netherlands in June 2001. Preliminary findings from these studies indicate maternal zinc supplementation has a beneficial effect on neonatal immune status, early neonatal morbidity and infant infections. With respect to labor and delivery complications, gestational age at birth, maternal zinc status and health and fetal neurobehavioral development, evidence is conflicting and more research is required. Data currently available do not support the hypothesis that maternal zinc supplementation promotes intrauterine growth. Thus despite the emerging evidence for a positive effect of zinc on some outcomes of pregnancy, the workshop concluded that the full results of studies carried out need to be known and that more research is required to determine the benefits of large-scale introduction of zinc supplementation of pregnant women in less-developed countries.
Chocolate is a complex sample with a high content of organic compounds and its analysis generally involves digestion procedures that might include the risk of losses and/or contamination. The determination of copper in chocolate is important because copper compounds are extensively used as fungicides in the farming of cocoa. In this paper, a slurry-sampling flame atomic-absorption spectrometric method is proposed for determination of copper in powdered chocolate samples. Optimization was carried out using univariate methodology involving the variables nature and concentration of the acid solution for slurry preparation, sonication time, and sample mass. The recommended conditions include a sample mass of 0.2 g, 2.0 mol L(-1) hydrochloric acid solution, and a sonication time of 15 min. The calibration curve was prepared using aqueous copper standards in 2.0 mol L(-1) hydrochloric acid. This method allowed determination of copper in chocolate with a detection limit of 0.4 microg g(-1) and precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), of 2.5% (n = 10) for a copper content of approximately 30 microg g(-1), using a chocolate mass of 0.2 g. The accuracy was confirmed by analyzing the certified reference materials NIST SRM 1568a rice flour and NIES CRM 10-b rice flour. The proposed method was used for determination of copper in three powdered chocolate samples, the copper content of which varied between 26.6 and 31.5 microg g(-1). The results showed no significant differences with those obtained after complete digestion, using a t-test for comparison.
Adequate intakes of micronutrients are required for the immune system to function efficiently. Micronutrient deficiency suppresses immunity by affecting innate, T cell mediated and adaptive antibody responses, leading to dysregulation of the balanced host response. This situation increases susceptibility to infections, with increased morbidity and mortality. In turn, infections aggravate micronutrient deficiencies by reducing nutrient intake, increasing losses, and interfering with utilization by altering metabolic pathways. Insufficient intake of micronutrients occurs in people with eating disorders, in smokers (active and passive), in individuals with chronic alcohol abuse, in certain diseases, during pregnancy and lactation, and in the elderly. This paper summarises the roles of selected vitamins and trace elements in immune function. Micronutrients contribute to the body's natural defences on three levels by supporting physical barriers (skin/mucosa), cellular immunity and antibody production. Vitamins A, C, E and the trace element zinc assist in enhancing the skin barrier function. The vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E and folic acid and the trace elements iron, zinc, copper and selenium work in synergy to support the protective activities of the immune cells. Finally, all these micronutrients, with the exception of vitamin C and iron, are essential for antibody production. Overall, inadequate intake and status of these vitamins and trace elements may lead to suppressed immunity, which predisposes to infections and aggravates malnutrition. Therefore, supplementation with these selected micronutrients can support the body's natural defence system by enhancing all three levels of immunity.
Cocoa and chocolate are the subjects of much research in the fields of food chemistry, food technology, and health science. We now know that cocoa contains a remarkable number of bioactive compounds, and these are being tested in humans to verify their disease prevention characteristics. This state of the art text thoroughly explores the different aspects of the relationship between chocolate and health. After introductory discussion of the historical background, careful attention is devoted to technological developments designed to improve the health-giving qualities of chocolate and biochemical and clinical trials of cocoa and its components. Various health impacts of cocoa and chocolate are thoroughly evaluated, including acute vascular effects and effects on blood pressure, blood lipids, and platelets. Psychological drivers of chocolate consumption and craving are also considered. Readers will find this book to be a rich source of essential information on cocoa and chocolate, their purported health-giving qualities, and the advances that are being made in this area.
Nutritional composition and fatty acids (FA) profile were determined in cocoa and chocolates of different
geographical origin and subject to different processing conditions. Cocoa butter was the major nutrient in
cocoa beans and carbohydrates were the most important in chocolates. Cocoa composition and FA profile
varied depending on geographical origin whilst in chocolates only carbohydrates and fat content varied
significantly due to the effect of origin and no significant effect was observed for processing conditions.
Both for cocoa and chocolates differences in FA profile were mainly explained as an effect of the
geographical origin, and were not due to processing conditions in chocolate. For cocoa, differences in
FA profile were found in C12:0, C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C17:0, C17:1 and C18:0 whilst for chocolates only
differences were found in C16:0, C18:0, C18:1 and C18:2. For all samples, C16:0, C18:0, C18:1 and
C18:2 were quantitatively the most important FA. Ecuadorian chocolate showed a healthier FA profile
having higher amounts of unsaturated FA and lower amounts of saturated FA than Ghanaian chocolate.
In 2006, the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) conducted the Second French Total Diet Study (TDS) to estimate dietary exposures to the main minerals and trace elements from 1319 samples of foods typically consumed by the French population. The foodstuffs were analysed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after microwave-assisted digestion. Occurrence data for lithium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, selenium and molybdenum were reported and compared with results from the previous French TDS. The results indicate that the food groups presenting the highest levels of these essential trace elements were “tofu” (for Li, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn and Mo),“fish and fish products” particularly “shellfish” (for Li, Co, Cu, Zn, Se and Mo), “sweeteners, honey and confectionery” particularly dark chocolate (for Cr, Mn, Co, Ni and Cu), “cereals and cereal products” (for Mn, Ni and Mo) and “ice cream” (for Cr, Co and Ni).
Calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and potassium (K) contents in 1319 foodstuffs habitually consumed by the French population were determined for the second French Total Diet Study (TDS), using micro-sampling flame atomic absorption spectrometry after microwave-assisted digestion. Concentration and distribution of these minerals in food samples were reported and compared with results from the previous French TDS. For Ca, the results indicate that the food presenting the highest levels are dairy products (1597mgkg−1), tofu (802mgkg−1) and some fish and cereal products; for Mg, tofu (1340mgkg−1), “Sweeteners, honey and confectionery” (672mgkg−1) especially dark chocolate (2225mgkg−1) and certain grains such as nuts and oilseeds (1069mgkg−1) and some cereal products; for Na, processed meats such as delicatessen (12,422mgkg−1), “Salts, spices, soup and sauces” (21,028mgkg−1), some cheeses and cereal products; and for K, “Cereal and cereal products” (4378mgkg−1), “Meats and offal” (3993mgkg−1), “Nuts and oilseeds” (7355mgkg−1) and “Sweeteners, honey and confectionery” (3445mgkg−1) (especially chocolate).
Since the third edition of this standard work in 1999, there has been a significant increase in the amount of chocolate manufactured worldwide. The fourth edition of Industrial Chocolate Manufacture and Use provides up-to-date coverage of all major aspects of chocolate manufacture and use, from the growing of cocoa beans to the packaging and marketing of the end product. Retaining the important and well-received key features of the previous edition, the fourth edition also contains completely new chapters covering chocolate crumb, cold forming technologies, intellectual property, and nutrition. Furthermore, taking account of significant changes and trends within the chocolate industry, much new information is incorporated, particularly within such chapters as those covering the chemistry of flavour development, chocolate flow properties, chocolate packaging, and chocolate marketing. This fully revised and expanded new edition is an essential purchase for all those involved in the manufacture and use of chocolate.
Data on the concentrations of iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, and iodine in the 234 foods of the United States Total Diet Study from 1982 to 1989 were summarized per 100 g and per typical serving portion. Foods highest in these elements per serving were ready-to-eat cereals, mixed dishes, and meats for iron; meat, mixed dishes, and ready-to-eat cereals for zinc; meat, nuts, mixed dishes, and beans/peas for copper; ready-to-eat cereals, nuts, and beans/peas for manganese; fish, meat, poultry, and mixed dishes for selenium; and ready-to-eat cereals, dairy desserts, mixed dishes, fish, and dairy products for iodine. Coefficients of variation for the microelements in the top 20 food sources per serving averaged 28% for iron, 20% for zinc, 26% for copper, 25% for manganese, 32% for selenium, and 104% for iodine. In addition to genetic, environmental, processing, and analytic variables, causes for variability of these microelements in foods most likely include inconsistent and varying levels of fortification with microelements and food additives containing microelements.
A study of the mineral element composition, labelled product information and retail prices of 30 Nigerian made powdered cocoa beverages (PCBs) was carried out. The objective was to determine statistical correlations between retail price, mineral element composition and the practice of PCB manufacturers towards providing product information as an index of good manufacturing practice (GMP). The products were generally found to be rich sources of Ca and P. Fe, Cu and Cr were found in trace amounts. Most PCB sample had Pb content above the maximum permissible level of 1.0 μg/g, The calcium content correlated significantly with phosphorus content (r = 0.919, P < 0.01) and GMP score (r = 0.639, P < 0.01). Based on products’ mineral element composition, the use of some multivariate pattern recognition techniques successfully clustered the PCB brands into two main groups. The first group consisted mainly of unregistered samples with GMP scores ≤8 (maximum score = 12) while the second group consisted mainly of registered products with GMP scores ≥8. Based on the mineral element composition, the extreme positions of Pb and P in the clustering tree indicated that they are contaminant and nutritional supplements, respectively. Finally, the retail prices, Ca and P contents were shown to be reliable indices of GMP in PCBs.
Nickel, lead and cadmium contents were determined in 69 different brands of chocolates and candies available in local markets of suburban areas of Mumbai, India. The majority of these chocolates and candies are made mainly from cocoa, milk solids, dry fruits, fruit flavours and sugar. Out of 69 brands of chocolates and candies analysed, 23 were cocoa-based, 22 milk-based and another 24 were of fruit flavour and sugar-based. Cadmium level ranged from 0.001 to 2.73 μg/g with an average of 0.105 μg/g. Nickel ranged from 0.041 to 8.29 μg/g with an average of 1.63 μg/g and lead level ranged from 0.049 to 8.04 μg/g with an average of 0.93 μg/g. Cocoa-based chocolates are found to have higher contents of the analysed heavy metals than milk-based chocolates, fruit flavour- or sugar-based candies.
Although meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of salt reduction report a reduction in the level of blood pressure (BP), the effect of reduced dietary salt on cardiovascular disease (CVD) events remains unclear.
We searched for RCTs with follow-up of at least 6 months that compared dietary salt reduction (restricted salt dietary intervention or advice to reduce salt intake) to control/no intervention in adults, and reported mortality or CVD morbidity data. Outcomes were pooled at end of trial or longest follow-up point.
Seven studies were identified: three in normotensives, two in hypertensives, one in a mixed population of normo- and hypertensives and one in heart failure. Salt reduction was associated with reductions in urinary salt excretion of between 27 and 39 mmol/24 h and reductions in systolic BP between 1 and 4 mm Hg. Relative risks (RRs) for all-cause mortality in normotensives (longest follow-up-RR: 0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.58-1.40, 79 deaths) and hypertensives (longest follow-up RR 0.96, 0.83-1.11, 565 deaths) showed no strong evidence of any effect of salt reduction CVD morbidity in people with normal BP (longest follow-up: RR 0.71, 0.42-1.20, 200 events) and raised BP at baseline (end of trial: RR 0.84, 0.57-1.23, 93 events) also showed no strong evidence of benefit. Salt restriction increased the risk of all-cause mortality in those with heart failure (end of trial RR 2.59, 1.04-6.44, 21 deaths).We found no information on participant's health-related quality of life.
Despite collating more event data than previous systematic reviews of RCTs (665 deaths in some 6,250 participants) there is still insufficient power to exclude clinically important effects of reduced dietary salt on mortality or CVD morbidity. Our estimates of benefits from dietary salt restriction are consistent with the predicted small effects on clinical events attributable to the small BP reduction achieved.
The objective of this study was to assess the relation between the level of habitual potassium intake and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Prospective cohort studies have evaluated the relationship between habitual potassium intake and incidence of vascular disease, but their results have not been not entirely consistent.
We performed a systematic search for prospective studies published, without language restrictions (1966 to December 2009). Criteria for inclusion were prospective adult population study, assessment of baseline potassium intake, assessment of vascular events as outcome, and follow-up of at least 4 years. For each study, relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted and pooled using a random-effect model, weighted for the inverse of the variance. Heterogeneity, publication bias, subgroup, and meta-regression analyses were performed.
Eleven studies were identified, providing 15 cohort samples that included 247,510 male and female participants (follow-up 5 to 19 years), 7,066 strokes, 3,058 coronary heart disease (CHD) events, and 2,497 total CVD events. Potassium intake was assessed by 24-h dietary recall (n = 2), food frequency questionnaire (n = 6), or 24-h urinary excretion (n = 3). In the pooled analysis, a 1.64-g (42 mmol) per day higher potassium intake was associated with a 21% lower risk of stroke (RR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.90; p = 0.0007), with a trend toward lower risk of CHD and total CVD that attained statistical significance after the exclusion of a single cohort, based on sensitivity analysis (RR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.87 to 0.99; p = 0.03 and RR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.91; p = 0.0037).
Higher dietary potassium intake is associated with lower rates of stroke and might also reduce the risk of CHD and total CVD. These results support recommendations for higher consumption of potassium-rich foods to prevent vascular diseases.
Procedural nutrition knowledge is knowledge of how to eat a healthy diet. This type of knowledge potentially plays an important role in dietary behaviour. Previous studies of consumers' nutrition knowledge did not systematically assess procedural nutrition knowledge. Thus, we administered a survey of procedural nutrition knowledge to Swiss consumers to assess the prevalence of misconceptions about healthy eating.
We developed 13 procedural nutrition knowledge items. Nine items were based on qualitative consumer interviews and four items were derived from expert guidelines. The items had a true/false format. We administered the items to a random population sample in a written postal survey (n = 1,043). The survey also assessed the consumers' self-reported food consumption. For each respondent, we computed the number of correctly answered knowledge items and we correlated this number with food consumption frequencies.
The procedural nutrition knowledge items received between 3% and 38% incorrect answers. Individuals with a higher number of correctly answered items consumed more vegetables (r = 0.29). Higher knowledge was associated with the female gender, younger age, higher education, nutrition-related qualifications and not being on a diet (P < 0.001).
Our findings indicate that misconceptions exist in the general population about healthy eating. These misconceptions are associated with a decreased consumption of foods usually defined as healthy. Some population sub-groups seem particularly susceptible to holding such misconceptions. The implications for nutrition education, particularly concerning the role of fruit and vegetable consumption as well as the food pyramid are discussed.
Zinc plays an essential role in numerous biochemical pathways. Zinc deficiency affects many organ systems, including the integumentary, gastrointestinal, central nervous system, immune, skeletal, and reproductive systems. This article aims to discuss zinc metabolism and highlights a few of the diseases associated with zinc deficiency.
Zinc deficiency results in dysfunction of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity and increases the susceptibility to infection. Supplementation of zinc has been shown to reduce the incidence of infection as well as cellular damage from increased oxidative stress. Zinc deficiency is also associated with acute and chronic liver disease. Zinc supplementation protects against toxin-induced liver damage and is used as a therapy for hepatic encephalopathy in patients refractory to standard treatment. Zinc deficiency has also been implicated in diarrheal disease, and supplementation has been effective in both prophylaxis and treatment of acute diarrhea.
This article is not meant to review all of the disease states associated with zinc deficiency. Rather, it is an introduction to the influence of the many roles of zinc in the body, with an extensive discussion of the influence of zinc deficiency in selected diseases. Zinc supplementation may be beneficial as an adjunct to treatment of many disease states.
This paper offers a review of current scientific research regarding the potential cardiovascular health benefits of flavonoids found in cocoa and chocolate. Recent reports indicate that the main flavonoids found in cocoa, flavan-3-ols and their oligomeric derivatives, procyanidins, have a variety of beneficial actions, including antioxidant protection and modulation of vascular homeostasis. These findings are supported by similar research on other flavonoid-rich foods. Other constituents in cocoa and chocolate that may also influence cardiovascular health are briefly reviewed. The lipid content of chocolate is relatively high; however, one third of the lipid in cocoa butter is composed of the fat stearic acid, which exerts a neutral cholesterolemic response in humans. Cocoa and chocolate contribute to trace mineral intake, which is necessary for optimum functioning of all biologic systems and for vascular tone. Thus, multiple components in chocolate, particularly flavonoids, can contribute to the complex interplay of nutrition and health. Applications of this knowledge include recommendations by health professionals to encourage individuals to consume a wide range of phytochemical-rich foods, which can include dark chocolate in moderate amounts.
Selenium as an essential component of selenocysteine-containing protein is involved in most aspects of cell biochemistry and function. As such, there is much potential for selenium to influence the immune system. For example, the antioxidant glutathione peroxidases are likely to protect neutrophils from oxygen-derived radicals that are produced to kill ingested foreign organisms. When the functions of all selenoproteins are described, only then will it be possible to fully understand their role in maintaining optimal immune function.
Purpose of review:
Cardiovascular benefits for cocoa are being claimed in the scientific literature with growing intensity. To date, excitement over the potential health benefits of flavonoids has been driven mostly by epidemiological studies of tea and red wine, but raw cocoa contains specific flavonoids in concentrations far exceeding those from most other sources. Early evidence supports cocoa's enhancement of endothelial function via improvement of nitric oxide synthesis. However, many new studies have brought more confusion than clarity to the enterprise. This review provides guidelines for legitimate research in this promising field.
Topics of discussion:
Evidence generated from epidemiological studies, linking an increase in flavonoid ingestion to a reduction in cardiovascular events, is less convincing than data from controlled clinical trials. Whereas a few trials have shown evidence for an enhancement of endothelial function, inhibition of platelet adhesion and low-density lipoprotein oxidation, many studies have ignored scientific principles. Tremendous variability in cocoa processing, flavonoid content, measurement and dosing threatens the field. Valid research depends upon the precise identification and measurement of compounds of interest, which are probably the flavanols catechin and epicatechin, their oligomers and metabolites. These measures depend upon reliable methods of separation and quantification. Whether the monomers, dimers or larger flavanol oligomers, or their metabolites, are responsible for biological efficacy remains to be determined. Final questions surround bioavailability and dosing frequency.
Conclusions:
Evidence is mounting to support cardiovascular health benefits from the consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa. This review hopes to illuminate sound scientific principles by which future research in the field can be guided.
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