Caracterização de chocolates provenientes de cultivares de cacau Theobroma cacao L resistentes a vassoura de bruxa

Abstract

The first report of Moniliophtora pernicious fungus in the cocoa region of Bahia was in 1989. The fungus cause a disease called witches’ broom, which began a process of impoverishment of this region caused by a reduction of up to 100% of cocoa production in several farms. The witches’ broom is an important disease of cocoa for its great destructive capacity and the great speed that it spreads. The cocoa plant is native from American tropical rainforest, probably from the Amazon and Orinoco basins. The cocoa tree grows in hot and humid conditions in a geographical belt between the parallels 20°N and 20°S. Among the efforts found in the control of witches’ broom disease, stand out research on new cocoa resistant varieties, productive and that create quality raw materials for the industry. Chocolate is a product derived from a mixture of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), mass (paste or liquor), cocoa powder or cocoa butter, and with other ingredients, containing at least 25% (g.100g-1) cocoa solids. The quality of chocolates is evaluated through their chemical, physical, physic-chemical and sensory characteristics. With the objective of collaboratind with the Brazilian Program for Genetic Improvement of Cocoa, samples of two varieties of cocoa, resistant to witches’ broom disease denominated SR162 and PH16 and one susceptible to disease, called conventional cocoa were characterized and monitored during fermentation and drying process. All materials were processed and the cocoa mass, cocoa butter and chocolate were characterized on the physicochemical composition and chemistry, as well as physical evaluation by studying the structure and sensory evaluation of chocolate through the acceptance test and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA®) The results of physicochemical analyses carried out, showed that regardless of whether or not resistance to witches’ broom disease, varieties studied present individual characteristics. There were no significant differences in the analyses of melting points and fatty acid composition among the samples of the materials studied. The colorimetric analyses showed that each chocolate produced has a specific color, which was confirmed by judges trained in sensory evaluation> In the study of the structures of chocolate, lower fat content and the bigger particle size found in the PH16 sample, led to an increased value of initial stress and higher hysteresis area. Quantitative Descriptive Analysis® showed that the chocolate samples had significant differences between groups (p<0.05), with reference to the descriptors. In acceptance test, consumers evaluated the chocolates with notes ranging from “like very much” and “like moderately”. Through the analysis performed, it was found that samples witches’ broom disease resistant cocoa, SR162 and PH16, and conventional cocoa had particular characteristics.