UC Davis chemical engineering professors Karen McDonald and Somen Nandi are at the forefront of a potential food revolution. Their lab has partnered with Sacramento food-tech company California Cultured — together supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and BioMADE — to optimize bioreactor designs and slash the cost of growing cocoa directly from plant cells: no farms, no deforestation, no climate risk. A distinguished professor emerita, McDonald has long championed plant cell suspension culture as one of the most versatile platforms in cellular agriculture, and this project brings that vision to life. Their work could help secure the future of chocolate as cacao crops face mounting pressure from climate change, with California Cultured anticipating commercial cocoa powder production to begin in early 2027
Read more at: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/could-cultured-chocolate-unlock-next-food-revolution