ReviewCocoa shell and its compounds: Applications in the food industry

•Cocoa shell shows high nutritional value.•A high content of phenolic compounds and dietary fiber was found in cocoa shell.•The main applications of cocoa shell are as source of dietary fiber, antioxidant additive, and colorant/flavoring agent.•Cocoa shell is demonstrated to be a promising ingredient for food industry with a wide range of applications.

BackgroundCocoa shell is removed from the cocoa bean before or after the seeds are roasted; it is considered a by-product of the cocoa industry that is usually underutilized or considered waste. Some studies and patents have been developed in order to give a nobler destination to this material. Interest in cocoa shell is due to its high nutritional value owing to the presence of a variety of biocompounds, such as phenolic compounds, dietary fibers, theobromine and a lipid profile similar to that of cocoa butter, besides its chocolate color and flavor.Scope and approachIn this review, a characterization and evaluation of cocoa shell and its biocompounds is discussed, as well as its health effects, methods for determining the main compounds, and recent applications of this by-product as a food ingredient.Key findings and conclusionsThe main application of cocoa shell in the food industry is as a source of fiber. However, studies have shown that this material has a high content of phenolic compounds, showing itself to have potential application as an antioxidant agent. Cocoa shell proves to be a promising ingredient in the food industry, but there have been few studies devoted to this by-product, indicating that it is a raw material with great potential for exploration.