Identification and Quantitative Analysis of Phospholipids in Cocoa Beans

SUMMARY: The lipids extracted from several common cocoa bean varieties were separated into neutral lipid, glycolipid, and phospholipid fractions. The composition of the total lipid extract was 98% neutral lipid and 1 to 2% oolar lioid of which aporoximatelv 70% was glycolipid and 30% was phospholipids. Two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography was used to separate all of the known major phospholipids. The relative distribution of the phospholipids was determined by quantitative phosphorus analyses of individual spots scraped from two-dimensional thin-layer plates. The major components were lysophosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, and phosphatidyl inositol. Phosphatidyl choline was found to contribute 36 to 40% of the phospholipids of cocoa beans. The phospholipid composition of Accra, Arriba, and Bahia beans was shown to be quite similar although minor variations were observed.