confirmed
the role of yeasts in conducting an alcoholic fermentation of the bean
pulp and further demonstrated that this activity was essential for the
production of good quality beans that gave a typical chocolate character.
These conclusions were derived by comparing the quality of cocoa
beans obtained from control fermentations with beans from fermentations
where yeast contribution to the process was inhibited by
natamycin. Fermentations conducted under such conditions gave
normal growth of LAB and acetic acid bacteria, but the final beans tasted
acidic and lacked the characteristic chocolate flavor