Figure 8

Temperature profiles (treatments) were used in the experiment. Treatments were designed to increase the average fermentation temperature, aiming to decrease the nib pH from 6.5–7 to 4.5–5.0 due to the dominant presence of acetic acid bacteria in the aerobic phase (after 48 h)35,46, but without increasing the temperature higher than the range of 45–48 °C (horizontal dotted reference lines), which are not favorable for the production of acetic acid, due to the death of acetic bacteria, an acid that is highly responsible for flavor formation.