Overview

• The Nature Microbiology paper links specific pH and temperature trajectories with distinct microbial communities to the chemistry that underpins fine cocoa aroma.
• Researchers sampled on-farm fermentations in Colombia’s Santander, Huila, and Antioquia, controlling for bean genetics to isolate fermentation effects.
• A curated nine-species mix of bacteria and yeasts, including fungal genera such as Torulaspora and Saccharomyces, reproduced fine-flavour profiles in sterile lab fermentations, confirmed by blind sensory panels.
• Tasters rated lab, Santander, and Huila liquors as fine-flavour while Antioquia resembled bulk cocoa, mirroring measured differences in microbes and fermentation dynamics.
• The team proposes starter cultures to standardize quality and enable new profiles, with broader field trials needed to assess performance across regions and climates.