Chocolate quality may be influenced by a variety of environmental, agronomic and technological factors to which the cocoa beans are subjected from the opening of the fruit until the end of industrial processing. Among these factors, it is known that the microorganisms present in the fermentation play an essential role in the development of the sensorial characteristics of chocolate. The intensity of microbial proliferation and the presence of one or another group of microorganisms in the fermentation and drying
steps are crucial for the development of particular characteristics in cocoa beans leading to a final product of good quality.