The cocoa bean shell is the major by-product of the cocoa bean during its processing into cocoa products. The cocoa bean shell makes about 10 – 12 % of the weight of the cocoa bean. Tons of the cocoa bean shell is disposed off as waste every year. Research over the years has been focused on cocoa polyphenols, especially the flavonoids, and its function as potent antioxidant in human health. In this study, the effect of various processing methods on the phytoconstituents (bioactive compounds) and the antioxidant activity of the nib and shell were assessed using the DPPH radical scavenging and total antioxidant capacity assays. All the cocoa samples showed the same trend in antioxidant activity for all the different processing methods. It was seen that micronizing before deshelling of the bean impacts on the nib quality in terms of antioxidant activity as compared to roasting the bean before deshelling. Again, the shell quality in terms of antioxidant activity was better when micronizing was done before deshelling. However, both processing methods still retains some antioxidant potency in the shell and the nib which, in the long term, protects the organism from oxidative damage leading to disease conditions.
