DEVELOPMENT OF COCOA PROCESSING STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE AND OPTIMIZE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITIES AND PROMOTION OF GASTRO-INTESTINAL HEALTH

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: TERMINATED
• Funding Source: AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1011828
• Grant No.: 2017-67017-26783
• Project No.: VA-Neilson
• Proposal No.: 2016-08920
• Program Code: A1341
• Project Start Date: Jun 15, 2017
• Project End Date: Mar 24, 2019
• Grant Year: 2017

Project Director
Neilson, A.

Recipient Organization
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
(N/A)
BLACKSBURG,VA 24061

Performing Department
Food Science & Technology

Non Technical Summary
Cocoa is usually fermented and roasted to improve its taste properties, resulting in losses of compounds known as polyphenols. These compounds are thought to be the major source of the health benefits of cocoa. Cocoa can prevent intestinal diseases such as inflammation, but the impact of processing on these activities is unknown. Preliminary data suggest that cocoa fermentation and roasting may preserve, or even enhance, the health benefits (whereas the conventional wisdom suggests that processing should reduce the health benefits). It is intriguing that processing may enhance cocoa's value by improving taste and health benefits simultaneously. Our objective is to identify processing approaches that maximize the health benefits of cocoa against obesity-induced intestinal inflammation. We predict that cocoa fermentation and/or roasting do not necessarily reduce its benefits, and may even enhance cocoa's health benefits. We will produce cocoas with different processing approaches, and determine then determine which have the best ability to prevent gastrointestinal inflammation. We will also identify compounds in the cocoa that these benefits. Thus, we will link cocoa processing to health. This will benefit US processors by demonstrating how to produce cocoas with maximum gut health benefits, and consumers by increasing availability of cocoa products with these properties.

Animal Health Component

0%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

25%

Applied

75%

Developmental

0%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
502	2233	1010	100%

Knowledge Area
502 - New and Improved Food Products;

Subject Of Investigation
2233 - Cocoa;

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;

Keywords

barrier function

cocoa

endotoxemia

fermentation

flavanols

gut

inflammation

roasting

Goals / Objectives
Our long-term goal is to develop food processing and dietary strategies that increase exposure to dietary compounds with preventive activities against chronic diseases associated with the metabolic syndrome. The overall objective of this proposal is to identify cocoa processing approaches that maximize the protective activities of dietary cocoa powder against obesity-induced GI inflammation and barrier dysfunction. Our central hypothesis is that fermentation and roasting of cocoa beans can be tailored to significantly enhance cocoa's protective activities against obesity-induced GI inflammation and barrier dysfunction. To test our hypothesis and achieve our overall objective, we propose the following supporting objectives:Obj. 1: Determine the impact of fermentation and/or roasting of cocoa beans on putativebioactive components of cocoa powderHypotheses:1) Cocoa fermentation and roasting unit operations can be manipulated to produce distinct profiles of putative bioactive species in cocoa powder, including native polyphenols, fiber, melanoidins, and lignin-like complexesObj. 2: Determine the impact of cocoa fermentation and/or roasting on cocoa bioactivity against GI inflammation and barrier dysfunction in vitro and in vivoHypotheses:1) Cocoa powder will prevent GI inflammation and barrier dysfunction2) Fermentation and/or roasting will enhance bioactivity compared to unroasted/unfermented cocoa3) Fermentation and roasting in isolation will impart distinct bioactivities; fermentation and roasting together will result in synergistic activitiesObj. 3: Identify bioactive compounds in cocoa powder that serve as effective predictors (and hence processing targets) of bioactivity in vitro and in vivoHypotheses:1) Different compounds/groups of compounds will serve as predictors for distinct bioactivities (inhibition of inflammation, protection of gut barrier function, etc.)2) Melanoidins, lignin-like complexes, fiber etc. may be better predictors than native polyphenolsWe will identify compounds in cocoa that predict bioactivity for prevention of obesity-induced GI inflammation and barrier dysfunction. We will also identify processing conditions that favor generation of these compounds and improve bioactivity. Thus, we will link cocoa processing directly to GI health. This will benefit US cocoa processors by providing guidance on how to produce cocoas with the highest anti-inflammatory and GI health benefits. This will also benefit consumers by increasing availability of such cocoa products. Instead of traditional approaches to food processing, food composition and health, we propose an integrated approach that will inform processing to enhance the benefits of cocoa for GI health. Our approach is novel in that we will employ processing, vs. formulation, to generate food products with potentially different and novel bioactivities.

Project Methods
We will employ a novel approach to generate novel cocoa products, and then simultaneously determine their composition and bioactivity (traditiona approaches measure either composition or bioactivity).Major methods include cocoa production/manufacture, analytical; methods to measure cocoa constituents, and then both in vitro and in vivo bioactivity assays of the cocoas.We will then use various statistical models to evaluate the value/utility of various compositional measures for predicting subsequent activity. We expected to identify markers that predictive health benefits, and identify methods to optimize those markers to maximize health benefits.

Progress 06/15/17 to 06/14/20

Outputs
Target Audience:p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Helvetica} The target audience for the products of this project includes: 1) Cocoa commodity suppliers and manufacturers (Hershey, Cargill, ADM, Barry Callebaut, Blommer, Mars, as well as smaller companies, etc.) 2) Cocoa Researchers in academia, industry and government (USDA ARS, etc.) 3) Cocoa consumers 4) Dietitians and clinicians Changes/Problems:Due to the PI (Neilson) switching institutions, the award is in the process of being transfered to North carolina State University. The remainder of the project will be completed from there (with continuance of the existing sub-awards) What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Helvetica} The MS student working on the project at VT (Kathryn Racine) has learned valuable skills relevant to working in the cocoa or fermentation industries (cocoa fermentation and further processing), as well as analytical skills (composition analysis of cocoa), human nutrition methodology (alpha-glucosidase inhibition assays), statistics (data analysis) and writing/communication (publishing and presenting results). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Yes, we have submitted a paper to a peer-reviewed journal (Foods) that will be available to our target audience. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Since the last reporting period, we have: Conducted model fermentation and roasting on cocoa beans Processed fermented/roasted beans into cocoa powder Performed compositional analysis on cocoa powders Performed in vitro digestion on cocoa powders (in preparation for in vitro bioactivity assays) Initiated animal studies using our cocoa powders incorporated into the diets Performed alpha-glucosidase inhibition assays using cocoa powderextracts Initiated data analysis to identify 1) the impact of processing on cocoa composition, 2) the impact of processing on the alpha-glucosidase inhibition activity of cocoa, and 3) identify composition factors in cocoa that predictalpha-glucosidase inhibition activity

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Kathryn Racine, Andrew Lee, Brian Wiersema, Haibo Huang, Joshua Lambert, Amanda Stewart, Andrew Neilson, Development and characterization of a pilot-scale model cocoa fermentation system suitable for studying the impact of fermentation on phenolic compounds and quality of cocoa, Foods, Manuscript ID: foods-463191.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Submitted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Racine KC, A Lee, BD Wiersema, LE Griffin, LA Essenmacher, A Moore, JD Lambert, AC Stewart, AP Neilson, Utilization of a pilot-scale model cocoa fermentation system and roasting to assess the differences among putative bioactive compounds and bioactivity of cocoa through variable processing conditions, Abstract ID: 620606, Presented at Nutrition 2019, Baltimore, MD

Progress 06/15/17 to 03/24/19

Outputs
Target Audience:p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Helvetica} The target audience for the products of this project includes: 1) Cocoa commodity suppliers and manufacturers (Hershey, Cargill, ADM, Barry Callebaut, Blommer, Mars, as well as smaller companies, etc.) 2) Cocoa Researchers in academia, industry and government (USDA ARS, etc.) 3) Cocoa consumers 4) Dietitians and clinicians Changes/Problems:Due to the PI (Neilson) switching institutions, the award is in the process of being transfered to North carolina State University. The remainder of the project will be completed from there (with continuance of the existing sub-awards) What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Helvetica} The MS student working on the project at VT (Kathryn Racine) has learned valuable skills relevant to working in the cocoa or fermentation industries (cocoa fermentation and further processing), as well as analytical skills (composition analysis of cocoa), human nutrition methodology (alpha-glucosidase inhibition assays), statistics (data analysis) and writing/communication (publishing and presenting results). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Yes, we have submitted a paper to a peer-reviewed journal (Foods) that will be available to our target audience. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Since the last reporting period, we have: Conducted model fermentation and roasting on cocoa beans Processed fermented/roasted beans into cocoa powder Performed compositional analysis on cocoa powders Performed in vitro digestion on cocoa powders (in preparation for in vitro bioactivity assays) Initiated animal studies using our cocoa powders incorporated into the diets Performed alpha-glucosidase inhibition assays using cocoa powderextracts Initiated data analysis to identify 1) the impact of processing on cocoa composition, 2) the impact of processing on the alpha-glucosidase inhibition activity of cocoa, and 3) identify composition factors in cocoa that predictalpha-glucosidase inhibition activity

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Kathryn Racine, Andrew Lee, Brian Wiersema, Haibo Huang, Joshua Lambert, Amanda Stewart, Andrew Neilson, Development and characterization of a pilot-scale model cocoa fermentation system suitable for studying the impact of fermentation on phenolic compounds and quality of cocoa, Foods, Manuscript ID: foods-463191.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Submitted Year Published: 2019 Citation: Racine KC, A Lee, BD Wiersema, LE Griffin, LA Essenmacher, A Moore, JD Lambert, AC Stewart, AP Neilson, Utilization of a pilot-scale model cocoa fermentation system and roasting to assess the differences among putative bioactive compounds and bioactivity of cocoa through variable processing conditions, Abstract ID: 620606, Presented at Nutrition 2019, Baltimore, MD

Progress 06/15/17 to 06/14/18

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes: 1) Cocoa Manufactureres 2) Cocoa Researchers 3) Cocoa Consumers 4) Dietitians and Clinicians Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The MS student working on the project at VT (Kathryn Racine) has learned valuable skills relevant to working in the cocoa or fermentation industries How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Poster presentation: Racine KC*, AH Lee, AC Stewart, AP Neilson, Cocoa Fermentation Through a Simulated Pulp Media: Method Verification for Large Scale Fermentation Model, Presented at 6th ann. poster competition, Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 2018 What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will: Roast our beans under commercially relevant conditions (estimated date: 30 May 2018) Use the Penn State confectionary pilot plant to process roasted beans into cocoa powder (estimated date: 30 June 2018) Perform all analytical procedures on raw beans and finished cocoas Perform digestions on cocoas to prepare samples for in vitro activity assays Begin in vivo animal studies Begin statistical analyses to correlate processing variables and compositional outcomes

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? To date, we have: Refined and validated our model fermentation method Established an industry cotact who will roast our beans under commercially relevant conditions (estimated date: 30 May 2018) Scheduled the use of the Penn State confectionary pilot plant to process roasted beans into cocoa powder (estimated date: 30 June 2018) Finalized all analytical procedures (using beans from pilot model validation samples)

Publications