Chocolate is remarkable, and that’s why Ayana Bio is focusing on it, according to co-founder and Chief Technical Officer Effendi Leonard. However, his admiration isn’t for chocolate’s taste or its widespread popularity. Instead, Leonard highlights the beneficial polyphenols that naturally occur in cacao, which have been associated with various health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, and reduced inflammation. He points out that when consumers indulge in chocolate treats, they only receive a small fraction of these polyphenols. Much of what they consume consists of sugar, dairy, fats, or flavorings like vanilla. To genuinely reap the health benefits of cacao’s bioactives, consumers would need to consume a substantial amount of chocolate, Leonard noted.
“Cacao is a significant global commodity with a billion-dollar market,” Leonard remarked. “Yet, it is not fully utilized to enhance health, wellness, or nutritional value. People recognize that there are valuable bioactives in this delicious treat, but very few can access them.” To address this issue, Ayana Bio is investing $3 million to help more individuals access the beneficial components of chocolate. This company, a spinoff from Ginkgo Bioworks, employs plant cell culturing technology to extract bioactives from plants and convert them into nutritional ingredients. They are fast-tracking the development of cacao polyphenol ingredients, aiming for commercialization by late 2024.
The objective of this initiative is to provide these healthy, natural ingredients to manufacturers in a sustainable and cost-effective manner, according to Leonard. The research conducted by Ayana Bio could also benefit the cacao farming industry, with initial focus on food and beverage applications. However, Leonard emphasized that they are not venturing into confectionery production.
Globally, chocolate is cherished, and demand is growing faster than cacao supply. In the United States alone, chocolate sales reached $21.1 billion in 2021, as reported by the National Confectioners Association. Despite this, cacao farming presents challenges due to economic exploitation of farmers, child labor, and ongoing deforestation. Additionally, environmental issues threaten traditional cacao farming, as climate change may render cacao-growing regions too hot for the trees to thrive.
This is where plant cell cultivation plays a critical role. Ayana Bio plans to cultivate cacao cells in bioreactors, focusing on those that contain polyphenols. In a bioreactor, there is no need to wait for trees and fruits to mature. The specific cells can be isolated and grown independently, ready for use as ingredients. “We can recreate a wide range of polyphenol compounds rather than just one,” Leonard explained. “These compounds often work synergistically to provide health benefits.”
While Ayana Bio is primarily focused on polyphenols, particularly the epicatechin flavonoid, the company is also exploring other substances derived from cacao. Leonard stated they aim to cultivate cells from every cacao species available to discover the variety of compounds present and how food scientists can utilize them. Plant cell cultivation is akin to methods used by companies culturing animal cells for meat, though Leonard asserted that Ayana’s approach is simpler since they are not developing a whole product but merely targeting bioactive compounds.
Scaling up cultivated plant cell technology is also more straightforward due to simpler equipment and processes. However, the regulatory landscape for commercialization remains uncertain. The final product will closely resemble naturally grown cacao, minus impurities like heavy metals, but may face stricter regulatory scrutiny regarding the production process and final product evaluation.
This cacao ingredient initiative is just the beginning for Ayana Bio. According to Leonard, they are also investigating bioactives in ginseng, berries, and ginger. “We want to aggregate these product launches to optimize production costs through economies of scale,” he said.
While Ayana Bio is dedicated to creating a nutritious cacao ingredient, their expertise lies in cell cultivation. Leonard expressed a desire to collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure the success of their cacao ingredient. Although Ayana Bio is not focused on enhancing the taste profile of foods, traditional formulators with cacao experience might assist in this endeavor. The cacao bioactives, though not identical to chocolate, could retain some similar sensory characteristics.
Ayana Bio also seeks to partner with experts in other bioactives found in cacao. “The most effective collaboration would be complementary,” Leonard remarked. The work Ayana Bio undertakes could benefit the broader cacao ecosystem. As part of this project, the company plans to investigate the composition of several cacao varieties, which will help identify which polyphenols to produce and analyze the characteristics of different types. Additionally, they hope to uncover insights into optimal cacao cultivation practices, such as identifying resilient plants and effective feeding strategies for cacao trees.
“We wanted to share our objectives with others,” Leonard said. “We realize the scale of this challenge is immense, and Ayana cannot tackle it alone. We need collaboration.” This approach aligns with their commitment to making the healthy components of cacao accessible and beneficial for all, enhancing nutrition while addressing the complexities surrounding cacao farming and production.
Furthermore, Ayana Bio is keen on ensuring that their innovative processes contribute positively to the cacao industry. By focusing on the extraction of bioactive compounds, they aim to support sustainable farming practices and provide manufacturers with high-quality, nutritious ingredients. As they work toward this goal, they remain open to partnerships that can enrich the knowledge base surrounding cacao and its numerous benefits, ultimately leading to a healthier future for all.
In this pursuit, Ayana Bio is taking steps that echo the mission of providing essential nutrients similar to the benefits offered by rainbow light chewable calcium, ensuring that health and wellness remain at the forefront of their innovations.