BIOACTIVE POTENTIAL OF COCOA PULP (THEOBROMA CACAO L.) OBTAINED FROM THE MIXTURE OF GENOTYPES PS1319.2005 AND PS1319.2006.

The cacao tree (Theobroma cacao L.) is a plant of great global importance, mainly due to the production of its beans, which are widely used in chocolate making. In contrast, the pulp is still underutilized, despite its nutritional and functional potential. Among its relevant characteristics, cacao pulp is rich in bioactive compounds, constituting an alternative source for the development of natural ingredients, functional foods, and strategies for the full utilization of the fruit. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the bioactive potential of cacao pulp (Theobroma cacao L.) from a mixture of the genotypes PS1319.2005 and PS1319.2006. For the development of the research, cacao pulp in blend form (PS1319.2005 and PS1319.2006) was used, which was subjected to analyses of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. The Folin-Ciocalteu method was used to determine the total phenolic compounds. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+) radical scavenging methods, as well as the iron reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) method. All analyses were performed in triplicate, and results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The results of the DPPH and ABTS assays were expressed as a percentage of inhibition of the respective radicals, while the FRAP assay was used to evaluate the reducing power of the sample. The average content of total phenolic compounds was 31.82 ± 0.84 mg GAE/100 g, evidencing the presence of these compounds in cocoa pulp, which may be associated with the antioxidant action of this plant matrix. Regarding antioxidant activity, 31.37% inhibition of the ABTS•+ radical and 9.20% inhibition of the DPPH• radical were observed. Thus, the use of different assays demonstrated that the matrix presents complementary antioxidant mechanisms, capable of acting both in the neutralization of reactive species and in electron transfer. The differences observed between the methods may be related to their distinct reaction bases and the structural diversity of the antioxidant compounds present in the pulp. The results obtained express the important potential of cocoa pulp, in blend form, as a natural source of antioxidant compounds, since the bioactive compounds present may possibly contribute to protection against oxidative processes and to the functional enrichment of the product. From a technological point of view, its use expands the possibilities of obtaining natural ingredients for beverages and foods, in addition to favoring the full utilization of the fruit. It is concluded that the cocoa pulp from the mixture of genotypes PS1319.2005 and PS1319.2006 presents significant bioactive potential, characterized by its phenolic compound content and antioxidant activity, thus constituting an important raw material for the development of food products and the sustainable valorization of the cocoa production chain.