Evaluación de la cascarilla de cacao fino de aroma para la obtención de un estabilizante alimenticio

Abstract

The production of fine flavored cocoa generates large quantities of cocoa shell, a byproduct rich in cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The objective of this research was the chemical transformation of cocoa shell into a food grade stabilizer. An alkaline delignification process was carried out in order to increase the purity and solubility of the material hydroxide (NaOH) was added, achieving a complete solubilization (100 %) of the ground shell (≤ 250 µm). In addition, to facilitate the precipitation and subsequent elimination of mineral salts that negatively affect the quality of the stabilizer, 1 g/L of polyethylene glycol (PEG 4000), an agent that interacts with the minerals forming easily removable chemical complexes, was incorporated. In the treatment with 0.1 % NaOH, a cellulose purity of 93. 76 % was achieved, which represents an increase of 38.37 % compared to the control sample. Likewise, the solubility of the stabilizer was favored by the esterification of the cellulose by the addition of hydrochloric acid (20 %), used to adjust the pH to a neutral value (pH: 7). In conclusion, alkaline delignification hydrolyzes lignin and confers hydrophobicity on cellulose, allowing it to form stable gels at different temperatures and modifying its sensory attributes, such as texture, color, flavor and the characteristic cocoa aroma.