PubMed · 11439277
The source did not provide an abstract. Follow the original record for more information.
Explore connections, maps & timelines
2001. Chocolate.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11439277/
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.
KEEP EXPLORING
The occurrence of fungicidal, elemental S is well documented in certain specialized prokaryotes, but has rarely been detected in eukaryotes. Elemental S was first identified in this laboratory as a novel phytoalexin in the xylem of resistant genotypes of Theobroma cacao, after infection by the vascular, fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae. In the current work, this phenomenon is demonstrated in a resistant line of tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, in response to V. dahliae. A novel gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy method using isotope dilution analysis with 34S internal standard was developed to identify unambiguously and quantify 32S in samples of excised xylem. Accumulation of S in vascular tissue was more rapid and much greater in the disease-resistant than in the disease-susceptible line. Levels of S detected in the resistant variety (approximately 10 microg g-1 fresh weight excised xylem) were fungitoxic to V. dahliae (spore germination was inhibited >90% at approximately 3 microg mL-1). Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis confirmed accumulation of S in vascular but not in pith cells and in greater amounts and frequency in the Verticillium spp.-resistant genotype. More intensive localizations of S were occasionally detected in xylem parenchyma cells, vessel walls, vascular gels, and tyloses, structures in potential contact with and linked with defense to V. dahliae. Transient increases in concentrations of sulfate, glutathione, and Cys of vascular tissues from resistant but not susceptible lines after infection may indicate a perturbation of S metabolism induced by elemental S formation; this is discussed in terms of possible S biogenesis.
At present, the commonly used HPLC method for the analysis of caffeine and theobromine contents in aqueous cocoa extracts employs direct application of the extracts on the column. This practice gradually reduces the efficiency of the column and shortens its life. Also, this method gives inflated values due to interfering substances and difficulty in achieving baseline resolution. In the improved method, the interfering cocoa pigments are effectively removed by passing the aqueous extract through a Sep-pak C(18) cartridge. Subsequent injection on a C(18) reverse-phase column employing acetonitrile and water (20:80) as the mobile phase reduces the analysis time without affecting either resolution of the peak or the accuracy of caffeine and theobromine determination or achieving baseline resolution. Therefore, this method is ideally suited for rapid routine analysis of cocoa and its products.
Dark chocolate tablets were manufactured using 100% crystalline sucrose, 50% crystalline and 50% amorphous sucrose, and 100% amorphous sucrose. The physical state of sucrose was determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction. DSC scans of dark chocolate samples containing amorphous sucrose were characterized by a glass transition at 63 degrees C, a sucrose crystallization peak at 105 degrees C, and a melting endotherm at 188 degrees C. Independent of the amount of amorphous or crystalline sucrose used for the preparation of dark chocolate, all final chocolate products provided a single melting endotherm at 188 degrees C and a crystalline X-ray diffraction pattern. These results indicated that sucrose crystallized during production of dark chocolate and that no amorphous sucrose was present in the final chocolate products.