Elephant-Poop Coffee's Smooth Taste Explained by Scientists

Scientists have found out why a special coffee called Black Ivory, which comes from coffee beans eaten and pooped out by elephants, tastes so smooth and not too bitter.

The elephants eat coffee cherries, and the beans are then collected from their poop, cleaned, and roasted.

The scientists discovered that special bacteria in the elephants' tummies help break down a substance called pectin in the coffee beans.

Pectin usually makes coffee taste bitter when it's roasted, but these bacteria reduce the pectin before roasting, making the coffee less bitter and smoother.

This research shows how animal digestion and tiny microbes can change the taste of food.

It also opens up new ways to explore how microbes can be used to create different flavors in coffee and other foods.