Preliminary Study of Short-Time Thermal Pretreatment Effect on Proximate Composition of Cocoa Pod Husk Powder
Satria Bhirawa Anoraga1,2, Rosnah Shamsudin1,3*, Muhammad Hazwan Hamzah4,5, Suzannah Sharif6, Arifin Dwi Saputro7

1Department of Process and Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia.
*gs64978[at]student.upm.edu.my
2Department of Bioresources Technology and Veterinary, Vocational College, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
3Institute of Plantations Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia.
4Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
5SMART Farming Technology Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
6Cocoa Innovation and Technology Centre, Malaysian Cocoa Board, Lot 12621, Nilai Industrial Area, Nilai 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
7Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia

Abstract

Cocoa pod husk (CPH) is a significant by-product, presenting both environmental challenges and being a valuable fiber source. This study aims to investigate the impact of a short-duration blanching pretreatment on the proximate composition of CPH powder and subsequently compare it with untreated CPH. The blanching process involves using hot water within a temperature range of 60-90 C for 2.5-12.5 seconds. The optimization of the pretreatment blanching is carried out using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on a Central Composite Design (CCD), considering two independent variables, namely temperature (X1) and time (X2). The proximate composition of CPH is analyzed, and parameter optimization is facilitated using Minitab 16. ANOVA is performed with a confidence level of 95%. Results indicate that crude fiber is influenced by the linear effect of temperature (p < 0.05). The interaction between temperature and blanching time significantly affects protein (p > 0.05), while moisture and ash content remain unaffected by variations in temperature and blanching time. Optimal blanching conditions are identified at 79 C for 12.5 seconds, resulting in 36.19% crude fiber and 4.189% protein. Comparative analysis demonstrates that thermally pretreated CPH exhibits reduced ash and crude fiber content while yielding higher pectin levels compared to untreated CPH.

Keywords: hot water, blanching, CPH, pretreatment, optimization

Topic: Food biotechnology and bioprocess engineering