Suzanne Callander reports on some of the innovative fermented ingredients that can help confectionery manufacturers create more sustainable and environmentally-friendly products, but not at the expense of flavour, texture and consumer experience.
Fermentation is by no means a new technique, but the use of precision fermentation technology – biotechnology processes that use genetically engineered microbes to produce a variety of specific functional ingredients – are now looking set to transform the confectionery sector, offering exciting new opportunities for product development teams.
Precision fermentation is being used, for example, to create alternative sweeteners and flavour compounds, with engineered microbes being used to produce rare sugars – such as allulose and tagatose – natural sugars with low glycaemic impact and fewer calories than traditional sucrose. These sugars can be used to reduce the sugar content in confectionery recipes, making them attractive to health-conscious consumers and regulatory bodies pushing for reformulated products.
Fermentation is also being used to create cocoa alternatives. Food-grade microbes are being used to ferment plant materials such as oats or legumes, which can mimic the complex flavour profile of cocoa, helping confectioners reduce their reliance on traditional cocoa, which has been often associated with both ethical and environmental concerns. These cocoa alternatives can support sustainability and also offer supply chain stability in a volatile market.
Sustainable chocolate flavour
Fungu’it is a French foodtech startup, specialising in the production of natural flavourings through solid-state fungi fermentation. The company has harnessed the unique potential of filamentous fungi to transform agricultural by-products – such as flaxseed and sunflower press cakes, or legumes – into natural flavourings.
Its resource-efficient fermentation method is said to significantly reduce water and energy consumption when compared with to traditional fermentation solutions.
One of its flagship ingredients is a sustainable chocolate flavour that can reduce the use of cocoa in recipes by up to 25%. This not only lowers dependence on cocoa but also helps curb deforestation and reduces CO₂ emissions linked to intensive cocoa production.
Anas Erridaoui, CEO at Fungu’it, explains more about the processes used by the company to produce its chocolate flavour. “We use a solid-state fermentation process – a process distinct from the more commonly used submerged fermentation (SmF),” she says. “We use a range of locally-sourced agricultural by-products, such as wheat bran, brewer’s spent grains, and press cakes, as fermentation material for the chocolate flavour. The fungi grow on the surface of moist solids without the presence of free water. This reduces contamination risk and eliminates the need for sterilisation under pressure.
“In terms of energy and water efficiency, our solid-state production method uses up to 10 times less water than SmF. It also requires between 35% and 50% less energy as there is no need for freeze-drying or intensive mixing. This can reduce the carbon footprint of the finished product by 92%, according to life cycle analyses.”
As the fungi metabolise the substrates, they generate complex flavour molecules. “Depending on the fungal strain, substrate, and fermentation parameters, we can develop a wide variety of flavour profiles – ranging from umami and roasted notes to smoky or cocoa-like aromas,” continues Anas.
Fungu’it is building a proprietary database that maps combinations of substrates, fungi and process conditions to the resulting flavour profiles. “This allows us to predict, select, and refine fermentations with high sensory value,” continues Anas. “The chocolate flavour, for example, was developed by selecting specific fungal strains and substrates known to yield rich, bitter and roasted aromatic compounds, mimicking cocoa notes. It can be used to reduce or replace cocoa powder in spreads, or baked goods, offering both sensory performance and cost advantages.”
The chocolate flavour offers a cost-effective solution to meet the need for cocoa alternatives in confectionery and chocolate applications. With increasing pressure on tropical supply chains and the rising cost of cocoa, the formulation can reduce reliance on traditional cocoa inputs without compromising product flavour or performance and can be used to replace up to 30% of cocoa powder in a typical recipe.
Flavour enhancers
Fermentation is also unlocking new natural flavour enhancers and aroma compounds that can help improve the sensory experience of confectionery and chocolate. For example, fermented fruit and vanilla extracts can provide deeper, more nuanced flavour profiles without the need for artificial additives. These can enhance premium or artisanal positioning while aligning with clean-label demands.
MycoTechnology, for example, is using fermentation technologies to create unique solutions derived from fungi that can contribute to better-tasting, better-for-you food products.
Created via mushroom mycelial fermentation, its ClearIQ natural flavour is said to offer an effective tool to overcome complex taste challenges. It can harmonise flavour profiles, enhance desirable flavours – including fruity and indulgent flavours – and can mitigate common off-notes. It has also been found to reduce bitterness and positively modulate the delicate flavour profiles in chocolate and chocolate compounds. “Particularly in sugar-reduced chocolate compounds, ClearIQ is able to enhance flavour while reducing the bitterness and sweet linger commonly associated with non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia,” says Grace Kim, Director of Food Applications Development at MycoTechnology. “In a recent application we found that it helped to enhance the fresh raspberry notes in a bonbon filling developed in our laboratory.”
A good demonstration of the use of ClearIQ can be seen in the creation of a certified organic 70% cacao sweet dark sugar-free chocolate. The addition of ClearIQ enabled Macalat, which has recently been acquired by Birmingham Chocolate, to produce a dark chocolate product that highlights the natural flavours of cacao while eliminating any undesirable bitter notes and an unpleasant mouthfeel.
In another application, a large multi-national needed to reformulate an extruded product to reduce its sugar content to meet new guidelines which require all products high in sugar to feature a warning on the packaging. The initial sugar reduction reformulation revelated strong stale ‘cardboard’ off notes – which needed to be overcome. The company reformulated again, introducing ClearIQ flavour modifier and this helped reduce the perception of cardboard notes while also harmonising taste profiles and enhancing flavour. Based on this successful reformulation, the company has gone on to reformulate other baked products in its portfolio to mitigate ‘toasted’ off notes that resulted from its baking process.
MycoTechnology is also in the process of developing Honey Truffle Sweet Protein, a naturally derived, non-caloric sweetener that was discovered in honey truffles. “This ingredient has a clean, sweet taste with minimal off-notes, and our technology allows for scalable, sustainable production and low cost-in-use, overcoming many of the common challenges and risks associated with traditional ingredients. We are currently testing Honey Truffle Sweet Protein in a broad range of applications and look forward to introducing it to food and beverage markets to enhance low sugar and sugar-free products,” says Grace.
Rare flavour compounds
Renaissance Bioscience is using its proprietary yeast fermentation platform to develop a range of rare and natural flavour compounds. “Through a combination of adaptive evolution, strain selection, and precision fermentation, Renaissance is able to engineer yeast strains that can convert low-cost substrates, including food processing by-products, into high-value, specialty flavours,” explains John Husnik, CSO and co-CEO at Renaissance BioScience.
In the context of confectionery and chocolate applications, John highlighted the following benefits that the proprietary yeast fermentation solution can offer:
Creating natural, rare flavour notes: Renaissance’s yeast can produce flavour-active compounds such as fruity esters or floral volatiles, offering product developers new tools for crafting distinctive flavour profiles that are otherwise difficult to extract from natural resources or are high in cost.
Clean-label and natural ingredient positioning: All flavours produced using the technique are natural, making them attractive to premium confectionery brands who are focussed on label simplification and transparency. They also offer a yeast-derived alternative to artificial flavours, supporting consumer demand for authenticity and health-conscious alternatives.
Cost-effective and scalable: By replacing rare botanicals or costly extracts with fermentation-derived alternatives, brands can reduce production costs, ensure consistent supply, and scale more efficiently – all while using sustainable or circular inputs.
Customisation for product innovation: Flavours can be tailored to achieve the desired sensory impact, enabling chocolatiers and confectionery manufacturers to create signature profiles, like tropical fruit notes, floral undertones, or subtle roast enhancements, without altering the core formulation.
Sustainability and circularity: The platform supports the valorisation of food industry by-products, contributing to circular economy goals. Flavour compounds can be produced using waste streams, reducing both cost and environmental footprint.
Compared to traditional confectionery ingredients, todays fermented ingredients are often able to provide superior nutritional value, better digestibility, and enhanced sustainability. They also support a move away from synthetic additives and high-intensity sweeteners, helping meet consumer preferences for ‘natural and minimally processed foods.
For confectionery producers, incorporating fermented ingredients is becoming more than just a trend, it is rapidly becoming a key to unlock innovation and to differentiate products from those of competitors in a competitive market. As fermentation technologies continue to mature and ingredient availability expands, it certainly looks set to reshape the confectionery ingredients market, with the promise of tailored solutions to meet a range of reformulation challenges.
Editorial contact:
Editor: Kiran Grewal kgrewal@kennedys.co.uk
