04 Feb 2019 --- When it comes to processing coffee beans, longer fermentation times may result in a better taste. This is according to Luc De Vuyst, M.Sc., Ph.D., Professor of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. Lactic acid bacteria also play a positive role in this process and other species of microbes may contribute. However, more investigation is needed in this area, according to the research, which was published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.