C16 Biosciences enters food market with fermentation-derived cocoa butter ingredient

C16 Biosciences has expanded its Palmless ingredient platform with the launch of its first food ingredient, a precision fermentation-derived cocoa butter equivalent, alongside three new ingredients for the beauty and personal care market.

• C16 Biosciences launched its first food ingredient, a fermentation-derived cocoa butter equivalent designed to improve consistency and supply reliability for chocolate manufacturers.
• The company also introduced three new beauty ingredients, expanding its Palmless portfolio to five commercial products.
• C16 said all Palmless ingredients are produced in 50,000-liter fermentation tanks, a production scale it first achieved in 2022.

The New York-based biotechnology company said its new Palmless Cocoa Butter Equivalent was developed to address three longstanding challenges in chocolate manufacturing: variability in performance, supply uncertainty and price volatility.

Cocoa butter is a key ingredient in dark, milk and white chocolate, but its properties can vary depending on factors including growing region, season and harvest conditions. According to C16, these variations can affect tempering, shelf life and product quality during manufacturing.

The company said its fermentation-derived ingredient delivers a more consistent fat profile and predictable crystallization behavior, reducing variability during chocolate production.

"Cocoa butter is fundamental in making chocolate a luxurious experience: it's responsible for the perfect snap on the first bite, the reason chocolate melts exactly at body temperature, and it leaves smooth aftertaste," said Shara Ticku, founder and CEO of C16 Biosciences. "We brought all those sensorial properties to life, but from fermentation rather than industrial agriculture. Our process delivers products more consistently and more on-spec to the needs of chocolate makers."

Ticku noted that fermentation has long played a role in chocolate production through the processing of cocoa beans.

"Fermentation has long played a critical role in developing the flavor precursors in chocolate," she said. "Now it's a critical step in developing sensorial performance and functionality, too."

Because the ingredient is produced independently of cocoa farming, C16 said it can provide a more stable supply and predictable pricing than conventional cocoa butter.

Alongside its entry into food ingredients, the company introduced three new additions to its beauty and personal care portfolio: TorulaSilk, Torula Butter and the Torula Carotenoid Complex.

TorulaSilk is available in multiple grades and is designed to provide lightweight conditioning while serving as a fermentation-derived alternative to D5 and D6 silicones. Torula Butter has a melting point of 32°C and is intended to deliver skin conditioning without the heavy feel associated with some traditional cosmetic butters. The Torula Carotenoid Complex contains the fungal carotenoids torulene, torularhodin and beta-carotene, which the company said help protect formulations against oxidation while supporting skin exposed to UV light and environmental stress.

The launches build on Torula Oil, the company's first commercial beauty ingredient, for which new efficacy data were released last month.

According to C16, Palmless ingredients are already being used in dozens of products sold through major US beauty retailers and international markets.

"Torula Oil has become a go-to ingredient for formulators across skincare, suncare, bodycare, and color cosmetics," said David Heller, founder and COO of C16 Biosciences. "These three new ingredients provide those same brands a full biotechnology-derived toolkit, from high-potency actives to functional emollients and butters."

The company also highlighted its manufacturing capabilities, saying all Palmless ingredients are produced in 50,000-liter fermentation tanks, a scale it first reached in 2022.

"C16 now offers a multi-ingredient portfolio commercially that manufacturers can formulate with today," Heller said. "Palmless is not a single ingredient story. We've scaled the technology, launched ingredients, and now we're expanding that portfolio to further drive our growth and impact."

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