Chocolate may fill grocery store shelves around the world, but the raw product that powers chocolate is far more selective.
The majority of chocolate farms are found in West Africa and South America – just 20 degrees north or south of the equator. Each farm produces chocolate of a different flavor. Some cocoa tastes fruitier; others, more floral. Nutty. Earthy. Spicy.
But what drives these different flavor profiles? And can it be recreated in a lab?
A team led by scientists at the University of Nottingham in the UK sought to find out and published their results in the journal Nature Microbiology this week.
Research fellow David Gopalchan said the research began when the team sampled microbes from three different cocoa farms in Colombia. Microbes play a critical role in the fermentation stage, when the harvested beans sit for days to cure. After genetically sequencing the DNA of these microbes, the team built a computer model to see how these tiny organisms interacted and gave rise to aroma and flavor compounds.
Finally, the team went full Willy Wonka.
They created a cocktail of these microbes to start performing fermentation DIRECTLY on beans in the lab. Professional tasters confirmed that these beans – fermented by a synthetic microbial community – exhibited similar flavor notes to fine chocolate.
Curious about other ways science intersects with food? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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This episode was produced by Berly McCoy, Rachel Carlson and Jordan-Marie Smith. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Christopher Intagliata. Tyler Jones checked the facts. Tiffany Vera Castro was the audio engineer.
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