Researchers make progress in controlling the fermentation of cocoa beans to improve their final quality

Published at: 09/09/2025 04:00 PM

A scientific team from the University of Nottingham, in the United Kingdom, has just deciphered and reproduced in the laboratory the microbial recipe for fine chocolate flavor and aroma.

The study, published in the journal Nature Microbiology, on August 18, 2025, was carried out on three farms in the department of Santander, Colombia, considered to be the main cocoa production area in that nation.

The main objective of the study was to determine the fermentation conditions that cocoa beans require to guarantee a high quality product when processed into its different varieties, one of them chocolate.

Although high-quality chocolate has unique floral and fruity notes, until now no one knew exactly who was responsible for those special flavors.

In this regard, British researchers report that this occurs because the cocoa fermentation process is very poorly studied, as it occurs within the cocoa farms themselves; the opposite happens with industrialized fermentation processes such as cheese, wine and beer.

As part of the study, they set out to isolate nine key microbial species in cocoa fermentation, recreating that complex sensory profile in the laboratory. This is the first time that a starter culture for cacao has been “reverse engineered”: a consortium of microbes capable of generating the flavors and aromas of premium chocolate.

The result? A flavor comparable to that of the best chocolates in the world. This finding is not only academic, since it allows farmers to standardize fermentations, improve the quality of the cocoa at source and open the door to an industry with more added value.

From the laboratory to the field, cacao microbes could transform the chocolate industry, guaranteeing exceptional flavors. In addition to providing the opportunity to restore the microbiota and provide better conditions for consumers' digestive health.

MINCYT