Chocolate Scientists Used Super Yeast to Change the Taste of Cocoa Beans

Humans have been obsessing over chocolate pretty much since forever, and in the 4,000 or so years that we've been cuckoo for cocoa, it's only natural that we've gotten creative with its applications. From sex toys to fueling race cars, chocolate has proven to be a remarkably versatile sweet, and perhaps nowhere is this so evident in the nearly unlimited flavor combinations seen on chocolate packaging around the world.

For the most part these chocolate flavors are the result of adding an aroma to a normal chocolate, sometimes resulting in bizarre flavors (potato chocolate, anyone?). This may soon change however, thanks to researchers from the University of Leuven who teamed up with Barry Callebaut, the world's largest chocolate producer, to figure out how to manipulate the flavor of chocolate itself.

In a study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology on Friday, the team demonstrated how the yeasts used to ferment cocoa during chocolate production can be used to modify the aroma of the chocolate being made, creating a range of distinct flavor profiles.

"This makes it possible to create a whole range of boutique chocolates to match everyone's favorite flavor, similar to wines, tea, and coffee," Jan Steensels, one of the authors of the study, said in a statement.

After cocoa beans are harvested, they are typically heaped in large plastic boxes or in a pile on the ground, surrounded by a gooey pulp that is fermented by yeasts and bacteria. The problem with this method is that native yeast species in the immediate environment can wind up in the mix, which can make it difficult for producers to keep consistent control over the flavor of their chocolate. Thus, the team sought to find more robust strains of yeast that could outcompete the random yeast strains invading these cocoa heaps, which would effectively allow producers more control over the flavors of their chocolate.

The researchers were surprised to find that when introducing different robust yeast strains into the cocoa fermentation process the resulting chocolate aromas were wildly different, despite the recipe and fermentation process being performed exactly the same for each strain of yeast. They also found that the cocoa retained its new flavors after the drying and roasting process.

After this realization, the team began experimenting with new robust yeast hybrids that would yield strong flavors, with admirable results.

"For the first time, chocolate makers have a broad portfolio of different yeast strains that are all producing different flavors," said Steensels. "This is similar to the current situation in beer brewing and wine making."

Let the golden age of chocolate begin.