The delegation, Thomas Asante, Principal Quality Systems Coordinator; Sonia Tuffour, Senior Product Research and Development Officer; and Belinda Ntow, KTP Associate, was led by Prof. Jacob Agbenorhevi, who leads KNUST’s work on the Africa Agri-food Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AAKTP) project funded by INNOVATE UK.

Prof. Faustina Dufie Wireko-Manu, Head of Department, noted the department’s enthusiasm for the collaboration. The CPC group also supported the development of a HACCP plan for the pectin extraction process to strengthen quality assurance.

The AAKTP project, involving CPC, KNUST, the University of Huddersfield and the University of Health and Allied Sciences, seeks to replace lecithin with locally sourced pectin in chocolate processing to cut costs and meet international standards.

Later, the delegation met Prof. Daniel Duah, Dean of KNUST’s International Programmes Office, who received them on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor and pledged stronger academia-industry collaboration.

“This will go a long way to reduce imports in the chocolate industry,” he said.

Also present were Dr. John-Lewis Zinia Zaukuu of the Department’s publicity team, Prof. Isaac William Ofosu, and IPO officials Livingstone Agbenorxevi and Joel Mensah.