The Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV is planning a CORNET project with UNICAMP (Universidade Estadual de Campinas) in Brazil to identify new applications for cocoa butter from damaged cocoa fruit.

Cocoa butter has a wide range of applications in cosmetics - from lipsticks and body lotions to shower and hair care products. The raw material price for cocoa butter has been rising steadily in recent years. In order to meet the high demand, improve the living and environmental conditions of producers and reduce prices, the existing scarce resources in the growing regions must be optimally utilized.

However, currently cocoa fruit with visual defects is either discarded, polluting the environment, or mixed with perfect fruit, reducing the quality class of the crop and causing profit losses for producers. The visual defects result in crop losses of 30% of world production, although the cocoa beans can still be processed into flawless cocoa butter.

The project will investigate whether cocoa butter made from cocoa fruit with optical defects can be used in the cosmetics industry.

The project is funded by CORNET and is currently in the application phase. Currently, participants are still being recuited for the consortium accompanying the project. Participation in the project is free of charge. Interested companies are invited to contact the Fraunhofer IVV. 

Arielle Springer 
Business Development Manager 
Tel.:  +49 8161 491-470 
Mobile: +49 1716 411383 
arielle.springer@ivv.fraunhofer.de


About Fraunhofer IVV:

As an institute for applied research, the Fraunhofer IVV is a leader in the fields of process engineering and packaging and develops products and processes in the areas of food, packaging, product performance, processing machinery, and recycling and environment. Together with partners from industry, other institutes, alliances, universities and colleges, the staff work in thematic collaborations on joint projects and developments.

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