Environmental Performance of Chocolate Produced in Ghana Using Life Cycle Assessment

Ghana is an important cocoa producer and exporter this production of high economic importance. Increasing interest in the sustainable productions cocoa/chocolate necessitated need to assess environmental impacts associated with different chocolate variants (extra dark (EDC), (DC), milk (MC) flavoured (FMC) Ghana, including identification hotspots for improvement. The life cycle assessment tool was used following CML_IA CED impact methods. EDC had lowest scores most categories while FMC impactful. For Global Warming Potential (GWP), were estimated be 1.61 kg CO2 eq. 4.21 eq., respectively. ranged from 1.44 × 102 1.50 MJ-eq. Chocolate manufacturing phase generally more impactful than cultivation due emissions sugar production. 100 g packaged bar comparison 300 pouches 12.5 strips. GWP 0.20 0.39 Comparing destination points manufactured chocolate, international similar those recorded local destinations. Improvement options are suggested all phases ensure distribution.