- Background
- What we're looking for
- What we can offer you
- Q&A
A global food manufacturer is seeking experts in predictive modeling of cocoa processing, with a focus on linking cocoa bean origin, process parameters, and final product organoleptic properties.
Background
Cocoa roasting is a critical stage in cocoa material production, where heat-driven moisture removal and chemical reactions shape color, aroma, bitterness, acidity, and downstream processability. The final profile depends not only on cocoa bean or nib composition, but also on roasting conditions, such as temperature, airflow, steam/humidity, residence time, and the specific roaster design.
Existing research has advanced the understanding of cocoa roasting through kinetic models, volatile/aroma analysis, sensory studies, and tools such as GC-MS, e-nose, and e-tongue. However, many available models remain focused on specific chemistries, lab-scale systems, or individual pieces of the process, and may not yet provide a validated way to connect cocoa composition and industrial roasting parameters to final flavor outcomes.
There is an opportunity to identify experts or teams with relevant cocoa roasting, organoleptic material properties (flavor chemistry included), and modeling experience who can either bring an existing model or adapt their modeling approach to real processing conditions. Approaches that can be validated in roasting environments could support more informed optimization of process conditions across different equipment setups and operating modes, helping achieve desired flavor profiles more consistently. This would allow teams to respond more flexibly to cocoa sourcing changes while achieving target organoleptic property profiles, including flavor, more predictably.
What we're looking for
We are looking to engage with experts and teams working at the intersection of cocoa roasting, flavor chemistry, process engineering, and mathematical modeling to better understand how roasting conditions influence final properties of the outcome material. We are particularly interested in experts who have an existing model that can predict how variables such as cocoa bean or nib composition, temperature profiles, airflow, steam/humidity, residence time, and roaster design impact aroma, taste, browning, and overall flavor development.
We are also open to experts or teams with relevant modeling, roasting, and validation expertise who could develop or adapt such a model through a collaborative project. We welcome applications from academia, industry, research institutes, equipment manufacturers, and technical consultancies with experience in cocoa roasting or adjacent thermal processing applications where flavor development is strongly influenced by process conditions.
Mathematical or predictive models linking cocoa composition and roasting conditions to flavor development
Kinetic modeling of roasting reactions associated with aroma, taste, browning, and volatile compound formation
Experimental validation of roasting models using laboratory, pilot, or industrial roasting systems
Analytical and sensory approaches to characterize flavor development during roasting (e.g., GC-MS, e-nose, e-tongue, volatile analysis, sensory evaluation)
Experience developing or applying kinetic, thermodynamic, CFD, or other mathematical models related to processing/roasting or flavor development that account for raw material composition
Experience in cocoa/coffee/nuts/grains roasting, flavor chemistry, thermal food processing, and/or predictive modeling of roasting systems
Experience validating roasting or thermal-processing models in a relevant experimental environment, including measurement of process variables and flavor-related outputs
Bean or nib roasting systems across different operating modes or equipment configurations
Digital twins, process simulation, or advanced process control in food manufacturing'
Flavor development and reaction chemistry in adjacent roasting applications such as coffee, nuts, grains, or seeds
Scale-up and translation of laboratory roasting models into pilot or industrial environments
- Accepting applications from experts based in all countries
What we can offer you
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