Extraction technique increases honey’s ability to “pull” beneficial substances from the ‘non gratas’ cocoa bean shells.
Brazilian scientists developed a “chocolate melt” functional from cocoa residues and native bee honey — a mixture with a strong chocolate flavor and enriched in bioactive compounds that, says the team, are associated with potential health benefits.
The team, based at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), in the state of São Paulo, used an ultrasound-assisted extraction technique to increase honey’s ability to “pull” beneficial substances from cocoa bean shellsa byproduct normally discarded in chocolate production, according to .
The study, in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, describes how honey was used as an edible, ready-to-use solvent, dispensing with synthetic solvents and more aggressive purification steps. By combining honey and cocoa shells and applying ultrasound waves, researchers were able to release and dissolve molecules such as theobromine e caffeine, compounds naturally present in cocoa and associated, in different contexts, with stimulating effects and cardiovascular interest.
The technique also increased levels of phenolic compounds, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
According to the authors, the process is framed as “green chemistry”, for being faster and more efficient than conventional methods and for valuing local raw materials and agro-industrial waste. The equipment used includes a probe similar to a metal pen, inserted into a container with the mixture. The sound waves generate microbubbles that collapse and briefly raise the temperature, helping to fragment the structure of the shells and release the compounds that pass into the honey.
To assess sustainability, the team used software Path2Greenwhich compares the process to 12 green chemistry principles, including transport, post-treatment, purification and applicability. The method obtained an overall score of +0.118 on a scale between -1 and +1, with the choice of a local solvent, edible and “ready to eat” emerging as one of the main advantages.
The project also highlights, according to the authors, the economic and environmental potential of honey from native Brazilian bees, generally moister and less viscous than honey from European bees, which can favor extraction. Honeys from five species were tested: borá (Tetragona clavipes), jataí (Tetragonal narrows), mandaçaia (Melipona quadrifasciata), mandaguari (Scaptotrigona posterior) and white girl (Frieseomelitta varia). Mandaguari honey was initially chosen to fine-tune parameters as it presents intermediate values of water content and viscosity, but researchers allow adaptations to other varieties, given the honey’s variations with climate, storage and temperature.
In internal tests, scientists describe a intense chocolate flavor, buildable by the proportion of honey and peels.
New sensory evaluations are planned. The team is still working on finding an industrial partner to license the patented method and place the product on the market, with applications in gourmet foods and cosmetic formulations.
