Analysis of triacylglycerol isomers in Malaysian cocoa butter using HPLC-mass spectrometry

Chocolate is acclaimed for its unique and highly desirable flavor and its unusual melting characteristics (a narrow melting point range centered a few degrees below body temperature similar to32 to similar to35 degreesC). The triacylglycerol (TAG) composition of cocoa butter is responsible for this important melting behavior. The exact composition of the primary TAG in a Malaysian cocoa butter sample was elucidated by ESI/tandem mass spectroscopy. The cocoa butter sample consisted primarily of the TAG. POP. POS and SOS with smaller amounts of PLP, POO, PLS, and SOO, where P, O, S, and L indicated palmitic, oleic. stearic and linoleic acid. respectively. The use of tandem mass spectroscopy or MS/MS was critical for the identification of coeluted TAG. such as POO and PLS. The fragmentation pattern provided by diacylglycerol sodium adduct ions, enabled the identification of co-eluted TAG by the loss of a fatty acid fragment and the corresponding diacylglycerol sodium adduct ion. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.