By Stephen Beech

The perfect recipe for the finest chocolate flavor has been fermented by the application of science, according to new research.

Scientists identified "key" factors that influence the flavor of chocolate during the cocoa bean fermentation process.

They say the discovery could offer chocolate producers a "powerful tool" to craft consistently high-quality, flavor-rich chocolate.

Scientists from the University of Nottingham’s School of Biosciences examined how cacao bean acidity, temperature and microbial communities interact during fermentation - and how those factors shape chocolate flavor.

The team identified key microbial species and metabolic traits associated with fine-flavor chocolate and found that both abiotic factors - such as acidity and temperature - and

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