Team:FDR-HB Peru
The Peruvian cacao industry has been heavily impacted by the new European Union regulations which placed a limit of 0.8mg/kg of cadmium (Cd) in cacao products due to the carcinogenic and toxic effects on organ systems. Only 5% of Peruvian cacao currently meets these requirements leading to over 50,000 Peruvian cacao farmers reporting income loss. Our team, in collaboration with Alianza Cacao (an organization representing Peruvian cacao farmers), is working on developing a Cd detection and bioremediation system to be implemented during the cacao liquor stage of production. This way, we hope to provide a system that will impede Cd from transferring to the final products of chocolate and cacao powder.