The Criollo (native) cocoa beans were collected from the populated centers of Guadalupe (5°33′45.14″ S, 78°32′50.53″ W, 420 mamsl), Tolopampa (5°39′21.25″ S, 78°29′40.44″ W, 514 mamsl), and Copallin (5°41′13.70″ S, 78°24′20.58″ W, 869 mamsl) in the province of Bagua, Amazonas region (see Figure 1 ). All data were collected in situ using a Global Positioning System (Garmin Montana® 680; Garmin Ltd., Olathe, KS, USA).
Reagents used: Folin–Ciocalteu phenol reagent (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany), sodium carbonate (Spectrum, New Brunswick, NJ, USA), Saccharomyces cerevisiae derived from ATCC® 18824™ (01066K, Microbiologics, Saint Cloud, MN, USA), Methanol HPLC grade (JT Baker, Deventer, The Netherlands). In the case of: hydrochloric acid (HCl), petroleum ether, potassium persulfate, gallic acid, ethanol, acetonitrile, YPD agar, acetic acid, peptone water, HPLC standards (caffeine, Theobromine, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin), (±)-6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchromane-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Fe3+-TPZ, butanol, and acetate buffer hydrate were purchased from Sigma Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA).
Reagents used: Folin–Ciocalteu phenol reagent (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany), sodium carbonate (Spectrum, New Brunswick, NJ, USA), Saccharomyces cerevisiae derived from ATCC® 18824™ (01066K, Microbiologics, Saint Cloud, MN, USA), Methanol HPLC grade (JT Baker, Deventer, The Netherlands). In the case of: hydrochloric acid (HCl), petroleum ether, potassium persulfate, gallic acid, ethanol, acetonitrile, YPD agar, acetic acid, peptone water, HPLC standards (caffeine, Theobromine, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin), (±)-6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchromane-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Fe3+-TPZ, butanol, and acetate buffer hydrate were purchased from Sigma Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA).