Procyanidins are a broad class of polyphenolic compounds widely distributed in plants. A defining property is that they can be converted into anthocyanidins upon heating under acidic conditions, which is the basis for the term “proanthocyanidins” and the subclass name “procyanidins.”
Cocoa and cocoa-derived products constitute a typical natural multi-component system. Their compositional profile is mainly defined by flavanol polyphenols (represented by (−)-epicatechin and proanthocyanidins), methylxanthine alkaloids (predominantly theobromine, with caffeine as a secondary ...