Researchers at Abertay University and food biotechnology firm Fermtech have created an ingredient called "Koji flour," which can replace some of the cocoa needed in chocolate products, making food production more sustainable, according to Phys.org.
Cocoa is an ingredient used in some of our favorite treats, including chocolate candy, brownies, and more. However, the production of cocoa, which can take over a year, takes a toll on the environment and the communities that produce it.
According to World Wildlife, the production of cocoa in West Africa led to over two million children in hard labor and over 70% of deforestation in Ivory Coast, the world's leading exporter of cocoa. Climatalk reports other effects of cocoa production, including water pollution, loss of biodiversity, and harmful pollution from transporting cocoa beans.
Droughts in Ivory Coast have led to a lower yield of cocoa crops. Land being rented to mining in areas of cocoa production are also contributing to higher costs of exporting cocoa. According to CNBC, costs of chocolate hit record highs in 2024 and consumers paid about 10-20% more for chocolate during Valentine's Day. Americans were set to purchase nearly 800 million pieces of chocolate for the holiday alone.
With the Koji flour, researchers found that they can reduce cocoa usage in chocolate products by up to 30%, helping diminish the strain on farmers and minimize environmental impacts.
"At Fermtech, we are committed to redefining the way ingredients are sourced and used in food production to reduce the global carbon footprint," said Andy Clayton, CEO of Fermtech. "Our collaboration with Abertay University is an example of this approach, which has led to fantastic results."
The Koji flour is created using a "Koji" fermentation technique, a popular technique used in making coffee that enhances the unique characteristics of the beverage. With this technique, researchers are able to ferment "spent grains" from local breweries and distilleries without the use of agricultural land.
"Natural processes such as fermentation play a crucial role in advancing food innovation," said Alberto Fiore, professor of food chemistry and technology at Abertay.
"By using innovative fermentation techniques, Koji flour delivers a 98% lower carbon footprint compared to cocoa and offers substantial cost savings to food producers," said Clayton. "This is the circular economy in action, promoting a more responsible food system while enhancing flavors and reducing our reliance on imported ingredients."
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Saves money 💰 Along with this breakthrough, companies like Cadbury are also limiting the environmental impact of cocoa production by using recycled packaging. According to Luker Chocolate, about 70% of chocolate packaging is made from plastic. Sustainable packaging can help further reduce the effects of cacao production from the trees to our stores.
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Trials of Koji flour are ongoing throughout Scotland and the UK.
"At Abertay, we are proud of our longstanding tradition of partnering with businesses like Fermtech to create innovative solutions that address sustainability and climate change challenges," said Fiore.
The teams at Abertay and Fermtech are hoping to refine their process in 2025 by 50%, according to Phys.org. This will help lower production costs and reduce dependence on cocoa for our everyday products.
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