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, ur onic acids, and Klason lignin were quantified. Cocoa hull exhibited a high content of total dietary fibre (TDF), 504 g kg(-1) on a dry weigh t (DW) basis, IDF being the main fraction found. Glucose was the major sugar constituent of the IDF fraction whereas the uronic acids were e qually distributed in the IDF and SDF fractions. The chemical composit ion reveals that pectic polysaccharides and cellulose contributed in s imilar 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 c ontent of Klason lignin was lower (161 g kg(-1) DW). The main pectic s ubstances in the insoluble fibre were low methoxyl pectins whilst thos e 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 sourc es of fibre or food products.