Cocoa seeds are used to derive products like cocoa powder, chocolate and cocoa butter. It was used in the early days in Mexico and was first used to make cocoa butter as early as 1695. Cortez had described the preparation of a beverage obtained from cocoa seeds called ”chocalatl”. It is also known as theobroma and cacao. In latinized Greek the word theobroma is broken down as “theo” as in “god” and ”broma” meaning “nectar” or food.
Cocoa contains alkaloids, the most important ingredients being theobromine, caffeine, and trigonelline. Chocolates containing cocoa are a rich source of procyanidins which are useful antioxidants. The characteristic bitter taste of cocoa is obtained during roasting due to the reaction of theobromine with the diketopiperazines.
SNACKS & BEVERAGES ATTRIBUTES
- Cocoa butter is use in producing varieties of snacks and a number of beverage recipes.
- Cocoa powder can be used as an ingredient in almost any foodstuff. For example, it is used in chocolate flavoured drinks, chocolate flavoured desserts such as ice cream and mousse, chocolate spreads and sauces, cakes and biscuits.
- Cocoa liquor is used, with other ingredients, to produce chocolate.