Nutritive and Antioxidant Properties of Cocoa Placenta Obtained from Cocoa Varieties Grown in Lodjiboua (Côte d’Ivoire)

Abstract

Cocoa placenta obtained after the removal of beans is a huge cocoa farm by-product usually regarded as waste by farmers. In order to contribute to their wider valorization, placenta of three varieties cocoa to know forastero, criollo and national (hybrid variety) have focused our attention. After fermentation of the placentas for 6 days, they were dried in an oven at 50° C. for 72 hours. The nutritive properties of cocoa placenta studied has give the follow results:   ash (6.00 - 9.40%), proteins (7.50 - 11.40%), lipids (2.80 - 6.60%), fibers (26.20 - 36.70%) and total sugar (9.60 - 16.10%). The mineral elements contents were high with remarkable amount of K (1063.50 - 1645.12 mg/100g), Mg (196.70 - 246.89 mg/100g), Ca (96.20 - 128.41 mg/100g) and Fe (1.45 - 8.40 mg/100g). Regarding antioxidant properties, these cocoa placenta also contained appreciable levels of polyphenols (176.90 - 301.40 mgGAE/Kg), flavonoids (24.60 - 79.60 mgECE/Kg) and tannins (5.90 - 21.80 mg/Kg). The studied cocoa placenta antioxidant activity varying from 9.50 - 24.40 mmolTEq/Kg for DPPH (2.2- Diphenyl 1- picrylhydrazyl) and 22.90 - 64.30 mmolTEq/Kg for ABTS (Acide 2.2-azino-bis (3-éthylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonique).  The results of the present study clearly demonstrate that cocoa placenta is a potential by-product that need could be used in animal feed or human food formulation.