IDENTIFICATION OF CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS FROM THEOBROMA CACAO L. LEAVES AS A POTENTIAL COCOA LEAVES BEVERAGE IN COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL GREEN TEA VIA LC-QTOF-MS/MS ANALYSIS
Authors: Zainal Baharum, Nurul Aishah Mohd Tamizi, Saiful Nizam Tajuddin & Ahmad Kamil Mohd Jaaffar
Journal Issue: Malaysian Cocoa Journal, Volume 14/2022
Keywords: Theobroma cacao, leaves, beverage, LC-QTOF-MS/MS
Published On: 10/05/2022
Abstract
Apart from the cocoa beans, other non-edible cocoa plant parts also contain bioactive compounds that are beneficial for health. In the present study, the chemical profiles of cocoa leaves were obtained via liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS/MS) in comparison with the commercial green tea and cocoa shell beverage. Based on the data processing revealed the cocoa leaves composed of catechins compounds that were detected in commercial green tea, in addition with the alkaloid and tannins groups of compounds were detected, which could be an added value for the development of cocoa leaves as a potential health beverage. The various bioactive compounds found in cocoa leaves and their pharmacological properties had been summarized, thus serving as a reference material for their usage as health beverage.