Cluster analysis for the systematic grouping of genuine cocoa butter and cocoa butter equivalent samples based on triglyceride patterns.

The triglyceride profile of cocoa butters (CBs) from different geographical origins, varieties, growing seasons, and a number of cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs) was determined by capillary gas liquid chromatography. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to the five main triglycerides of the samples for the ability to find natural groupings among (a) CBs of various provenance and (b) CBE samples of different types. The samples were clustered using Ward's method, and the similarity values of the linkages were represented by dendrograms. The five triglycerides contained adequate information to obtain a meaningful sample differentiation. This information can be used to assess the purity and the origin of the CB sample examined.