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Cocoa is rich in a subclass of flavonoids known as flavanols, the cardiovascular health benefits of which have been extensively reported. The appearance of flavanol metabolites in the systemic circulation after flavanol-rich food consumption is likely to mediate the physiological effects on the vascular system, and these levels are influenced by numerous factors, including food matrix, processing, intake, age, gender, or genetic polymorphisms, among others. This review will focus on our current understanding of factors affecting the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of cocoa flavanols in humans. Second, it will identify gaps in these contributing factors that need to be addressed to conclusively translate our collective knowledge into the context of public health, dietary guidelines, and evidence-based dietary recommendations.

A comparative study of the temperature effect on the physicochemical parameters, volatile composition and sensory quality of heather honey stored during 1 year was performed. The temperatures evaluated were refrigerated (10°C), room (20°C) and high temperatures (40°C). The cooling storage of heather honey presented advantages such as the retention of compounds like lilac aldehyde and lower looses of terpene derivatives, b-damascenone, benzaldehyde and phenylacetaldehyde, compared with other storage temperatures. Heather honey stored under room temperature showed significant increases in levels of 2-furanmethanol, furaneol, 2-methyl furancarboxylate, maltol and 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4(H)-pyran-4-one (DDMP). These compounds, whose concentrations were extremely high in honeys submitted at 40°C, are suggested as useful indices of unsuitable storage temperature. Moreover, the occurrence of methyl cyclotene and ethyl cyclotene are proposed as new markers indicatives of over-heating treatment of honey. Sensory analysis showed that off-flavours such as medicine and toasted, detected in honeys submitted at 40°C, began to be perceived in the samples stored at room temperature, while heather honeys refrigerated (10°C) kept the organoleptic profile and quality similar to fresh heather honey.

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