Other Issues

In many cocoa-producing countries, trees are illegally cut down to make room for cocoa plantations, which require a lot of water to grow the cocoa fruit. Extreme weather conditions such as droughts and floods also harm cocoa production, leading to disruptions in both the quantity and quality of the harvest. Furthermore, reports from the Food Empowerment Project have revealed instances of child labour and slavery in cocoa farms in Africa and Brazil, highlighting serious human rights abuses associated with traditional cocoa production. Additionally, major producing countries like Ghana and Ivory Coast have been affected by the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV), which has significantly reduced cocoa yields. It is important to consider how we can balance our love for cocoa products with the responsibility to protect human rights and the environment.

A Potential Answer?

One potential solution to the challenges associated with cocoa production could be to explore alternative methods for growing cocoa, rather than relying solely on traditional tree cultivation. One such approach is to grow cocoa using plant cell culture, a modern technique that involves cultivating cocoa plant cells in a controlled environment called a bioreactor. This bioreactor contains a solution of nutrients such as sugars, vitamins, and growth hormones. Once the plant cells mature, they are harvested from the tank and processed through fermentation and roasting to obtain ingredients such as cocoa powder or cocoa butter.

Some companies around the world are pioneering new ways of producing cocoa and cocoa products. Notable among them are California Cultured, a company in California, Kokomodo, an Israeli start-up, and Celleste Bio, also headquartered in Israel. These companies are growing cocoa from cell cultures.

Growing cocoa from cell structures is equipment and labour-intensive, but it allows for rapid propagation compared to the conventional way of producing cocoa. Additionally, the beans are sterilized, reducing the risk of plant disease transmission. This cellular propagation also ensures consistent plant quality and increased yields. Furthermore, it is environmentally friendly as it uses minimal land and water.

Another Alternative

Another way to reduce the pressure on the cocoa supply chain is by developing cocoa substitutes. Cocoa substitutes are ingredients that can replace cocoa powder or chocolate in recipes. Carob is a commonly used direct replacement for cocoa powder, as it imparts a similar chocolate-like flavour and is used in various carob-based products such as chocolates, truffles, and baked goods. Other natural cocoa substitutes include oats, sunflower seeds, grape seeds, peanut powder, coconut powder, date powder, faba beans, barley, and pecan meal. The challenge with cocoa substitutes is that they have different flavour profiles. However, companies like Planet A Foods are using various roasting and microbial fermentation processes to enhance and mimic the rich flavour and aroma characteristic of traditional chocolate. Planet A Foods produces ChoViva, a chocolate alternative made from sunflower seeds, oats, grape seeds, shea butter, and sugar.

Benefits to Reap

Choosing cocoa substitutes can lower production costs for manufacturers and pricing for consumers. This choice also promotes environmentally friendly production methods by reducing deforestation associated with cocoa farming and supporting local agriculture for regional substitutes. Additionally, cocoa substitutes have an increased product shelf life and simplified production processes.

The health benefits of cocoa substitutes include reduced caffeine and saturated fat content. They also offer vegan and dairy-free options, as well as low-calorie, sugar-free, and gluten-free alternatives. Furthermore, some cocoa substitutes, such as carob powder, have increased antioxidant levels and offer potential relief for allergies, especially for individuals sensitive to cocoa.

Climate change is worsened by various human activities such as illegal mining, burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and improper waste management. These environmentally harmful activities are increasingly prevalent in Ghana. The country may soon become involved in discussions about plant cell culture for cocoa production and cocoa alternatives.

REFERENCE

Information from https://foodispower.org/human-labor-slavery/slavery-chocolate/, https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2024/06/04/kokomodo-backs-cell-based-cocoa-to-solve-the-cocoa-crisis, https://edition.cnn.com/science/cocoa-free-chocolate-greener-spc-c2e/index., and https://tracextech.com/cocoa-farming-in-ghana/ was used in this story