Cacao polyphenolic substances. 2. Changes during fermentation

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Abstract
The changes in the polyphenolic constituents of cacao cotyledons during commercial fermentation were estimated by quantitative paper chromatography. The main change is the conversion of the simple cyanidin compounds to more complex leucocyanidins. Although oxidases are present, they do not act in the cotyledons during fermentation due to the anaerobic conditions prevailing. The catechin is partly lost by exudation and is then to some extent oxidized under the more aerobic conditions prevailing in the testa. Oxidation in the cotyledons, however, only takes place during the drying period. It is possible to obtain conversion of the cyanidin compounds with sun-dried, unfermented, powdered beans, in buffers under anaerobic conditions. The reaction appears to consist of several stages.
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