COCOA HULL - A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF DIETARY FIBER

Cocoa hull dietary fibre (DF) was evaluated by an enzymic-gravimetric method. Insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) and soluble dietary fibre (SDF) were subjected to acid hydrolysis and the resultant neutral sugars, uronic acids, and Klason lignin were quantified. Cocoa hull exhibited a high content of total dietary fibre (TDF), 504 g kg(-1) on a dry weight (DW) basis, IDF being the main fraction found. Glucose was the major sugar constituent of the IDF fraction whereas the uronic acids were equally distributed in the IDF and SDF fractions. The chemical composition reveals that pectic polysaccharides and cellulose contributed in similar amounts to TDF (107 g kg(-1) and 92 g kg(-1) DW, respectively). Non-starch polysaccharides accounted for 222 g kg(-1) DW, while the content of Klason lignin was lower (161 g kg(-1) DW). The main pectic substances in the insoluble fibre were low methoxyl pectins whilst those of the soluble fibre were high methoxyl pectins. Cocoa hull appears to be a good source of DF that might be used to supplement other sources of fibre or food products.