Chemical composition of cocoa beans

The beans are contained in a pod called the shell or husk and while they are in the pod, they are suspended in a viscous material - the pulp.

The alkaloid constituents of the cocoa beans, the bromine and caffeine, have been subjects of considerable publicity of recent years because of their supposed connection with migraines, hypertension and other health problems.

Proteins represent about 60% of the total nitrogen of fermented beans and constitute 10-15% of the dry weight of coca seeds, which are the second most abundant constituent after the cocoa fat. The nonprotein nitrogen is found as amino acid, about 0.3% in amide form, and 0.02% as ammonia, which is formed during fermentation of the beans.

The total fat content of the whole cocoa bean in a dry basis is approximate 50%, The composition of total lipid extract from cocoa beans was 98% of neutral lipids and 2% of polar lipids.

Cocoa beans products posses a unique chemical composition, half of which just coca butter which in turn is composed of stearic acid, oleic palmitic and linolenic acids. Approximately 15% of the dry weight of the cocoa beans is composed of polyphenols.

The kind and amount of organic acids contained in cocoa banns depend on the maturation and fermentation stages. The most common organic acids are citric, oxalic, malice, acetic and formic. The most important is acetic acid because of its influence on the state of cocoa.
Chemical composition of cocoa beans