The study is the basis of the project "Characterisation of polyphenols present in cocoa materials with possible pharmacological characteristics", which is being carried out with resources from the UTEQ, after having received approval and funding from FOCICYT in its seventh call for proposals.

The researchers who will carry out the work are: Alexis Matute (project director), Byron Oviedo, Jaime Morante, Cristian Vallejo and Rossy Rodríguez.

According to Matute, the study has already begun with the identification of clones with productive characteristics. He added that the first stage of the biochemical evaluation will take place next December in Belgium.

The aim of the research project is to determine clonal cocoa materials for pharmacological purposes, through polyphenols with antioxidant properties. In the second stage, the aim is to measure the effect of these polyphenols on arterial dilation, explained Alexis Matute.

This research is being carried out in Ecuador as a result of a study that Alexis Matute and other researchers carried out at the University Hospital of Liège (Belgium). The study consisted of the identification of polyphenol molecules in various foodstuffs. These polyphenols, which have antioxidant activities, were evaluated in laboratory rats by measuring their arterial dilation ex vivo.

This research resulted in a scientific article entitled: "Compared Phenolic Compound Contents of 22 Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Juices: Relationship to ex - vivo Vascular Reactivity and Potential in vivo Projection", authored by UTEQ professor Alexis Matute. The article was published in the journal "Antioxidants", which has an impact factor of 4.52.