Classification of Cocoa Butters Using Pyrolysis-Mass Spectrometry.

Abstract

Pyrolysis-mass spectrometry is an analytical fingerprinting technique that, coupled with suitable multivariate data analysis procedures, offers a rapid method for the characterisation of cocoa butters. Results are indicating that this technique is capable of discriminating cocoa butters according to different geographical areas (America, Africa, Asia) independent of the different technological treatment (deodorisation, alkalisation) during production or the presence of other vegetablefats. Moreover, it could be shown that Py-Ms offers the possibility to detect the technological treatment (deodorisation and alkalisation) of the cocoa butter. This work was extended to the analysis of cocoa masses, consting of cocoa butter and cocoa powder, however, it was not possible to conclude wheter the discrimination of the cocoa masses was obtained because of different geographical origin or because of specific sensory properties.