Applications of Life Cycle Assessment in the Chocolate Industry: A State-of-the-Art Analysis Based on Systematic Review

Wang, Shuhan; Dong, Yahong

doi:10.3390/foods13060915

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 78 publications

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“…Cocoa, required for chocolate production, is a key driver of economic activity in countries like Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Ecuador [4]. Its economic significance is evident from its contribution to the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers and its substantial impact on the global economy with the chocolate industry valued at over $110 billion annually [5]. In contrast, plantains are a fundamental food in many tropical regions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimizing Pathogen Control through Mixed Cocoa–Plantain Agroecosystems in the Ecuadorian Coastal Region

Vera-Velez,

Ramos-Veintimilla,

Grijalva-Olmedo

2024

Agronomy

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Mixed production systems play a vital role in the economic sustainability and ecological balance of agroecosystems. Cocoa and plantain are key crops in Ecuador but face phytosanitary challenges, like witches’ broom and black sigatoka diseases, especially when cultivated under monocropping systems. Combining habitat manipulation with adaptive pathogen management (APM) strategies can mitigate these challenges, but their efficacy in mixed cropping systems remains unclear. This study investigates disease and pest incidence in mixed cocoa–plantain systems during the establishment phase, focusing on the impact of spatial arrangements. Mixed agroecosystems showed a lower witches’ broom incidence in cocoa than monocultures. Whereas, in plantain, there was a consistent black sigatoka incidence across spatial arrangements but a lower infection rate per leaf within mixed systems. We found varied nematode populations with monocultures hosting the highest root damage due to phytoparasitic nematodes. Weevil populations were also influenced by spatial arrangements with monocultures among the highest. Overall, mixed agroecosystems influence disease and pest incidence, potentially hindering pathogen spread. Plantain–cocoa associations reduce disease incidence in cocoa but may not affect the overall incidence of black sigatoka in plantain, at least during the establishment phase. Continued monitoring is crucial for understanding the long-term impacts and microclimatic effects on pest populations that could offer sustainable pest management strategies, reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimizing Pathogen Control through Mixed Cocoa–Plantain Agroecosystems in the Ecuadorian Coastal Region

Vera-Velez,

Ramos-Veintimilla,

Grijalva-Olmedo

2024

Agronomy

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Antioxidant, Physicochemical and Rheological Properties of White and Milk Chocolate Compounds Supplemented with Plant-Based Functional Ingredients

Okstaviyani,

Lestari,

Kawiji

et al. 2024

Foods

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Product development must be continuously done by the chocolate industry to face a high level of competitiveness in the market industry. This study investigates the effect of powdered sappan wood and butterfly pea flower incorporation in milk and white chocolate compounds. Four concentrations of each additional ingredient were used (0, 5, 10 and 15%). The results show that incorporating powdered sappan wood and butterfly pea flower significantly improved the total phenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of milk and white compounds. This study clearly shows that the selected plant could be an alternative to improve the health-promoting properties of milk and white chocolate compounds. However, supplementation also has some drawbacks, particularly in increasing the moisture content and the degree of colour difference between the milk and white compounds containing additional ingredients and the control. Also, powdered sappan wood and butterfly pea flower caused a higher viscosity of milk and white chocolate compounds. The results obtained in this study create a new strategy for using sappan wood and butterfly pea flower in various food products.

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Social Life Cycle Assessment of Cocoa Production: Evidence from Ivory Coast and Ghana

Vinci,

Ruggeri,

Gobbi

et al. 2024

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Cocoa is a natural resource that plays a very important role globally, being one of the most produced and traded commodities. As a labour-intensive product and considering that its cultivation involves about 50 million people globally, it seems significant to explore its social sustainability. In light of this, this research aimed to map social risks within the cocoa supply chain from a life cycle perspective. Therefore, the Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) was used, following the PSILCA database, considering the two most influential countries in its production, i.e., Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. The results showed that there could be a very high risk that more than half of the cocoa globally is produced through child labour and with wages too low to guarantee workers a decent living, returning incomes of $30–38/month. Forced labour is much less frequent than child labour, while cocoa from Ghana may induce a high risk of improper work, considering the 30.2 h per week worked by farmers. This is mainly due to the low association power of 10–16%, which reveals a high risk that workers may not organise themselves into trade unions. Finally, at 23–25%, there is also a very high risk of discrimination due to the high presence of migrant labour. Therefore, the S-LCA results showed that the cocoa industry is still characterised by socially unsustainable sourcing.

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Applications of Life Cycle Assessment in the Chocolate Industry: A State-of-the-Art Analysis Based on Systematic Review

Cited by 3 publications

References 78 publications

Optimizing Pathogen Control through Mixed Cocoa–Plantain Agroecosystems in the Ecuadorian Coastal Region

Optimizing Pathogen Control through Mixed Cocoa–Plantain Agroecosystems in the Ecuadorian Coastal Region

Antioxidant, Physicochemical and Rheological Properties of White and Milk Chocolate Compounds Supplemented with Plant-Based Functional Ingredients

Social Life Cycle Assessment of Cocoa Production: Evidence from Ivory Coast and Ghana

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