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Influence of alkalization treatment on the color quality and the total phenolic and anthocyanin contents in cocoa powder

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Abstract

The effects of alkalization treatments on color, colorimetric fractions, total polyphenol content, and anthocyanin content of cocoa powder were investigated. A darker color and a lower total polyphenol content were obtained for cocoa powder alkalized using a K2CO3 solution than with an NaOH solution. A high temperature and basic pH conditions favored formation of dark components during alkalization due to sugar degradation, Maillard reactions, and anthocyanin polymerizing. The anthocyanin content decreased with an increasing alkali concentration, suggesting that more anthocyanins were transformed into brown polymers in darker cocoa powder. Cocoa powder with a heavy degree of alkalization had the lowest ratio of monomer anthocyanins to yellow/brown polymer content. OD460/OD525 values for alkalized samples were higher than for non-alkalized samples. Cocoa powder presented a better color quality after alkalization treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Food Colloids and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Yue Li, Yun Feng, Feifei Xu, Jianguo Ma & Fang Zhong

  2. State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Song Zhu

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  1. Yue Li
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  2. Song Zhu
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  3. Yun Feng
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  4. Feifei Xu
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  5. Jianguo Ma
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  6. Fang Zhong
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Correspondence to Fang Zhong.

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Li, Y., Zhu, S., Feng, Y. et al. Influence of alkalization treatment on the color quality and the total phenolic and anthocyanin contents in cocoa powder. Food Sci Biotechnol 23, 59–63 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-014-0008-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-014-0008-5

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