Anais do Simpósio Latino Americano de Ciências de Alimentos
Anais do 14 SLACA - Simpósio Latino Americano de Ciência de Alimentos

Aromas are key features for chocolates, and Brazil is an important producer of the raw material, the cocoa seeds. The present work aims to evaluate the volatile compounds from chocolates 50% of liquors made of Brazilian cocoas and track them to the products’ sensorial profile and consumers’ acceptance. Intensity of chocolate, bitter, alkalinity, acidity, woody, smoked, green, floral, roasted, musty and cocoa attributes from chocolates produced with cocoas from organic production from Pará, from Rondônia, Espírito Santo, Bahia were analyzed by trained panel and hedonically by 128 consumers. Chocolates made of cocoa from Cotê d’Ivoire, a high-quality producer country, were evaluated for comparison. Volatile compounds were evaluated in the samples headspace by solid phase microextraction sampling/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results from preference map showed ideal point sample characterized by intense chocolate, cocoa and bitter flavors, slight floral and acidity flavors and low smoked, green, astringent, roasted and musty flavor. Chocolates made of cocoa from organic samples from Pará, from Bahia and Rondônia presented higher intensity of chocolate flavors. Those from Rondônia presented the lowest intensity of cocoa and bitter flavor. One hundred and two different compounds from 13 classes were identified within the 6 chocolates. Cocoa aromas were statistically tracked to the presence of 2-pentanone, which is recognized in literature to present fruit flavors. Odors from volatile compounds that highlighted samples’ chocolate flavor were not previously identified in literature. Acidity aromas were related to the presence of 2,3-dimethylpyrazine and 5-methylhexanal, which present chocolate, roasted nuts, and cocoa notes and sweet-floral aromas, respectively. Floral notes were highlighted to furfural, phenylethanoic acid and phenethylacetate and 2-phenyl-5-methyl-2-hexenal, recognized to floral and roasted aromas. Smoked flavors were tracked to (Z)-2-heptenal, related to fermented green and bitter flavors; and green flavor to 2,3-dimethylpyrazine and 2,3-butanediol, which literature indicate relation to chocolate, nuts, sweet and baked notes.