The Last Word 267 



Dr. Axel Preyer's work constitutes a first 

 attempt to explain the entire process, its 

 aim and import. Preyer considers enzymes 

 derived from yeasts responsible for the 

 changes occurring during the fermentation. 

 Although I do not find this explanation to be 

 correct, for I maintain that it is the enzymes 

 of the beans themselves that cause the changes, 

 his work is still of value, and it certainly gave 

 the impetus to further investigations. 



Preyer also succeeded in isolating a special 

 variety of yeast, to which he has given the 

 name of Sacckaromyces theobromce, which was 

 always found to be present on fermenting 

 cacao in Ceylon, and is claimed to produce a 

 particularly high quality cacao. Experiments 

 conducted with pure cultures of this yeast 

 in Victoria (Cameroons) in 1900 did not yield 

 satisfactory results however. This lack of 

 success was perhaps due to the yeast having 

 died during its transport from Ceylon to 

 Victoria. 



The fine work of Loew has only now 

 become known to me. Loew regards the 

 removal of the pulp as the main object of the 

 fermentation or sweating process. With this 

 I cannot agree ; the loosening of the connec- 

 tion between the bean and its envelope, i.e., 

 between the cotyledons and the testa or shell, 

 is also of no essential importance, for roasting 

 in all cases easily separates the shell from 

 the kernel. The essentially important changes 



