Asian Journal of Food Research and Nutrition

Influence of Post-Harvest Technology Treatments on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Formation in Cocoa Beans and Derived Products

Sess-Tchotch Didier-Axel *

Laboratory of Human Movement, Development and Wellness Sciences, National Institute of Youth and Sports (INJS), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Kouame N’Guessan

Laboratory of Human Movement, Development and Wellness Sciences, National Institute of Youth and Sports (INJS), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Guehi Tagro Simplice

Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nangui Abrogoua, Abidjan 02, Côte d'Ivoire.

Kone Koumba Maï

Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nangui Abrogoua, Abidjan 02, Côte d'Ivoire.

Noël Durand

UMR Qualisud / CIRAD, TA-B 16/95, 73 Rue JF Breton, Montpellier Cedex 5, France and Qualisud, University Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier Sup Agro, Université d’Avignon, Université de La Réunion, Montpellier, France.

Fontana-Tachon Angelique

UMR Qualisud / CIRAD, TA-B 16/95, 73 Rue JF Breton, Montpellier Cedex 5, France and Qualisud, University Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier Sup Agro, Université d’Avignon, Université de La Réunion, Montpellier, France.

Grabulos Joël

UMR Qualisud / CIRAD, TA-B 16/95, 73 Rue JF Breton, Montpellier Cedex 5, France and Qualisud, University Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier Sup Agro, Université d’Avignon, Université de La Réunion, Montpellier, France.

Boulanger Renaud

UMR Qualisud / CIRAD, TA-B 16/95, 73 Rue JF Breton, Montpellier Cedex 5, France and Qualisud, University Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier Sup Agro, Université d’Avignon, Université de La Réunion, Montpellier, France.

Montet Didier

UMR Qualisud / CIRAD, TA-B 16/95, 73 Rue JF Breton, Montpellier Cedex 5, France and Qualisud, University Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier Sup Agro, Université d’Avignon, Université de La Réunion, Montpellier, France.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

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Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to determine influence of post-harvest treatments on PAH's formation in raw cocoa.

Study Design: A total of 370 samples were analyzed during 2014 and 2015 cocoa harvesting.

Methodology: A method based on a solid-liquid and liquid-liquid extraction followed by an HPLC-Fluorescence assay was optimized and validated for PAHs analysis in cocoa.

Results: Whatever the post-harvest treatment, cocoa PAH's contents were under 6.19 ± 0.30 µg.kg^-1. Then, after traditional warehouse storage of raw cocoa, PAHs contents ranged from 35.11 ± 3.30 to 39.53 ± 0.75 µg.kg^-1 above EU standards. Artisanal smoked dried cocoa recorded the highest PAH contents comprising between 35.06 ± 0.42 and 172.22 ± 14.79 µg.kg^-1. Also, monitoring of PAH concentrations during make process of cocoa into derived products has shown that shelling reduces the initial contamination of cocoa beans by more than 90%.

Conclusion: The use of artificial drying methods and storage conditions in the presence of smoke-induced and increasing PAHs to a critical level. Particularly, drying techniques using smoke caused considerable accumulation of PAHs in raw cocoa.

Keywords: Cocoa beans and derived products, post-harvest treatment, PAHs, Côte d’Ivoire, HPLC, validated method

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