shady floor of the tropical forest The other 20% are defensive cells meant to deter the many forest animals and microbes from feasting on the seed and its nutrients These cells are visible in the cotyledons as purplish dots, and contain astringent phenolic compounds, their chemical relatives the anthocyanin pigments, and two bitter alkaloids, theobromine and caffeine The beans are moist, around 65% water The composition of the dried fermented beans is shown in the box on p 698 Fermentation and Drying The first important step in the development of chocolate flavor is the least controlled and predictable Fermentation takes place where cacao is grown, on thousands of small farms and larger plantations, and may be done carefully or casually or not at all, depending on the resources and skill of the farmer The quality of cacao beans thus varies tremendously, from unfermented to badly overfermented and even moldy The first challenge for the chocolate manufacturer is to find good-quality, fully fermented beans Soon after the cacao pods are harvested, workers break them open and pile the beans and sugary pulp together at the ambient tropical temperature Microbes immediately begin growing on the sugars and other nutrients in the pulp A proper fermentation lasts from two to eight days, and generally has three phases In the first, yeasts predominate, converting sugars to alcohol and metabolizing some of the pulp acids As the yeasts use up the oxygen trapped in the pile, they are succeeded by lactic acid bacteria, many of which are the same species found in fermented dairy products and vegetables When workers turn the mass of beans and pulp to aerate it, the lactic bacteria are succeeded by acetic acid bacteria, the makers of vinegar, which consume the yeasts’ alcohol ... lasts from two to eight days, and generally has three phases In the first, yeasts predominate, converting sugars to alcohol and metabolizing some of the pulp acids As the yeasts use up the oxygen trapped in the pile, they are... workers break them open and pile the beans and sugary pulp together at the ambient tropical temperature Microbes immediately begin growing on the sugars and other nutrients in the pulp A proper fermentation lasts from two to eight days, and generally has... overfermented and even moldy The first challenge for the chocolate manufacturer is to find good-quality, fully fermented beans Soon after the cacao pods are harvested, workers break them open and pile the beans