Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activity of Seeds and Mucilage of Non-Traditional Cocoas.

The biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest includes little-known cocoa species, which are essential resources for local communities. This study evaluated the bioactive compounds and antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of seeds and mucilage of four non-traditional cocoa species (, , and ). Physico-chemical properties, minerals, vitamin C, organic acids, phenolics, and carotenoids were analysed by spectrophotometric and chromatographic techniques. The antioxidant activity was measured by ABTS and DPPH, along with the antimicrobial activity against , , , and , as well as and . seeds scored high in titratable acidity, magnesium, sodium, syringic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, and quercetin. In contrast, the mucilage scored high in calcium, -coumaric acid, ferulic acid, kaempferol, quercetin glycoside, and antimicrobial activity against mucilage excelled in malic acid, tartaric acid, naringenin, and antioxidant capacity. seeds excelled in lutein and antimicrobial activity against and , and mucilage in iron, potassium, vitamin C, citric acid, gallic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, zeaxanthin, β-carotene, and antioxidant capacity by ABTS. The mucilage of has a high soluble solids content. These results highlight the potential of these species as sustainable sources of functional compounds and nutraceuticals.