In a laboratory far from the confectionery aisles where consumers make their choices, a familiar Ghanaian vegetable is being reimagined as a key ingredient in chocolate.
At the Department of Food Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, researchers are making steady progress on an ambitious project that could reshape how chocolate is formulated, using pectin extracted from okra as an alternative to lecithin.
The work is being led by Prof. Jacob K. Agbenorhevi, Associate Professor and Head of the Department, who heads the Knowledge Base Academic Team driving the research. In recent engagements with industry partners, Prof. Agbenorhevi reported that the project has moved beyond theory into tangible results, with prototype chocolates already produced and tested.
The research is part of the Africa Agrifood Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AAKTP), a collaborative framework linking academia and industry. The project brings together KNUST, the University of Health and Allied Sciences, the University of Huddersfield, and CPC, with funding support from Innovate UK.
At its core, the research addresses a practical question with global implications: can a locally sourced plant material replace a widely used industrial emulsifier in chocolate production? Early findings suggest the answer may be yes. According to Prof. Agbenorhevi, both milk and dark chocolate samples formulated with okra-derived pectin have shown promising results, with consumer acceptability tests, particularly for the milk chocolate, described as “fantastic.”
