Diffusion, a science marketing consultancy, has said that to combat rising prices and shrinkflation, scientists are turning to Precision Fermentation - a brewing-like process that uses engineered yeasts to produce the same fats, proteins and flavour compounds found in cocoa beans.
The new process is being developed as an alternative to relying entirely on cocoa beans, a crop increasingly impacted by climate change, pests, diseases and extreme weather.
The Precision Fermentation process works like brewing beer. Scientists take a strain of yeast and give it a tiny piece of DNA that acts like an instruction manual, telling the yeast how to make specific cocoa fats, proteins or flavour compounds.
While a number of start-ups are already trialling precision fermentation, consumers have had a mixed response to the news.
Research from Diffusion, conducted by Censuswide of 2,005 people, found that almost four in 10 (38%) UK consumers support the development using these new methods, compared with 24% who currently oppose it.
However, an equal amount at 38% fall into the ‘neutral or undecided’ category, suggesting most people still lack a clear understanding of what the technology is or how it could be used.
Diffusion’s research found support for cocoa made using precision fermentation is highest among men and younger adults. Almost 46% of men backed the idea, compared with 31% of women. Support peaks at 55% among 25 to 34-year-olds compared to just 29% among over-55s.
“Our love of chocolate is not waning, but the way we produce it may have to change. We are already seeing declines to cocoa harvests that alongside exploding demand are driving up prices, and those trends are only going in one direction. Precision fermentation has the potential to manufacture the key fats and flavours in our favourite confectionary without being at the mercy of climate change or requiring the increasing destruction of tropical forests to farm cocoa,” said Ivana Farthing, Science Communication Lead and UK MD at Diffusion.
“If we want chocolate not to cost the earth, in all senses, we need to stay open minded about new technology.”
