Effect of Roasting Process on the Concentration of Acrylamide and Pyrizines in Roasted Cocoa Beans from Different Origins

Roasting is an important process that contributes to the formation of flavour compounds in cocoa beans. Pyrazines, by- products of Maillard reaction are the character impact compounds that contribute to its unique cocoa flavour. Unfortunately during roasting, carcinogenic acrylamide is also produced through the same Maillard reaction. This study was carried out to determine the concentration of acrylamide and pyrazines in different origin of cocoa beans roasted at 116 °C and time of 23 min. Papua New Guinea cocoa beans contained significantly (p<0.05) the highest concentration of acrylamide (0.32 mg/100 g) and the lowest was cocoa beans from Cameroon(0.11 mg/100 g). In this study, superior quality Ivory Coast cocoa beans can be produced with this roasting conditions; high pyrazines (2-methylpyrazine, 2,5- dimethylpyrazine, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine and 2,3,5,6-tetrapyrazine) with low acrylamide concentration (0.23 mg/100 g).