Whether baked as chips into a cookie, melted into a sweet warm drink or molded into the shape of a smiling bunny, chocolate is one of the world’s most universally consumed foods. Even the biggest ...

From her own experience, Julie Lestang knows what happens when undesirable microorganisms penetrate the cacao fermentation process. Before coming to Zurich in November 2021, she worked for two years ...

The chocolate industry is having a meltdown. Cocoa prices have doubled since the start of the year, as crops in West Africa — which produces 80% of the world’s cocoa — have been hit by droughts made ...

There are few things sweeter in life than chocolate, which is probably why it’s one of the most popular flavors in the world. We can thank the cacao trees (Theobroma cacao) for this gift, which are ...

When you think of 'fermented foods,' you can think of yogurt and miso, but in fact, 'fermentation by microorganisms' is important in the chocolate manufacturing process, and the aroma and taste of ...

For many years, researchers have played around with cacao fermentation by controlling the microorganisms involved. Raw cacao is prepared by cold-pressing un-roasted cacoa beans. The process keeps the ...

The flavor of chocolate depends on numerous factors, from the soil the cacao plant was grown in, to the length of time the cocoa beans are fermented. Leszek Kobusinski / Alamy Stock Photo While ...

Editor’s Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative has ...