Fermentation is an essential part of turning raw cacao into delicious chocolate. This processing step contributes to the development of flavor and the acidity of the final product. But what actually happens during the process? Read on to learn more about the microbial activity, chemical reactions, and other elements involved in cacao fermentation. Fermentation is essential to flavor development and the final acidity of cacao beans. In fact, it’s been stated that without fermentation, cacao would have no flavor at all. But one thing should be clarified: cacao beans are not fermented. Rather, yeasts, bacteria, and enzymes ferment the juicy white pulp, or baba, that surrounds the cacao beans. The beans endure the heat, acid, and enzyme effects from the fermentation of the pulp and are transformed, both internally and externally, as a result.