Cacao bean roaster

Cacao bean roasters set up and operate cacao processing equipments such as a continuous roasters, crackers fanners, drying and grinding equipment.

The duties of a cacao bean roaster include:

• Roasting the cocoa beans in heated revolving cylinders
• Loading the cylinders with cocoa beans and operating it
• Observing the roasting process
• Adjusting the heating mechanism as necessary
• Testing the beans during the roasting process by tasting, smelling and feeling and deciding when the roasting is finished
• Discharging the roasted beans into the cooling receptacle
• Operating the machine in which the beans are crushed and husks and chaff are separated

The following job titles also refer to cacao bean roaster:

cocoa roaster
cocoa bean processor
bean roaster
cocoa processor

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a cacao bean roaster.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Cacao bean roaster is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to cacao bean roaster.

coffee roaster
cocoa press operator
kettle tender
yeast distiller
dryer attendant

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of cacao bean roaster. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of cacao bean roaster with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

green coffee coordinator
animal feed supervisor
malt house supervisor
dairy processing technician
green coffee buyer

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of cacao bean roaster.

• Chemical reactions of roasting cacao beans: Proper roasting, which reduces the risk of bacteria. Chemical reactions occur when cocoa beans are roasted and proper roasting is integral to good flavoured chocolate.
• Temperature scales: Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature scales.
• Roasted cacao beans: Characteristics of roasted cacao beans and roasting processes and methods.

These skills are necessary for the role of cacao bean roaster.

• Operate a heat treatment process: Apply heat treatment aimed at preparing and preserving half-finished or finished food products.
• Screen cocoa beans: Screen cocoa beans to select the appropriate beans for roasting and grinding. See to it that the selected beans conform to quality standards. Clean cocoa beans with minor defects.
• Apply different roasting methods: Employ different methods to roast cocoa beans, such as oven roasting, air roasting, drum roasting, coffee roaster, and hot air gun. Use the different methods according to the production requirements, type of cocoa beans, and desired chocolate product.
• Check processing parameters: Check processing parameters to keep under control the technological processes.
• Collect samples for analysis: Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory analysis.
• Apply HACCP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Operate industrial ovens: Observe temperature and heat oven to the specified temperature. Operate roasting pans and facilitate the roasting process with instruments that prevent grain from sticking to the pans.
• Monitor roasting: Monitor the roasting of coffee beans and grains for proper degree of roasting to produce the desired flavours and colours.
• Apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages: Apply and follow national, international, and internal requirements quoted in standards, regulations and other specifications related with manufacturing of food and beverages.
• Apply GMP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Monitor temperature in manufacturing process of food and beverages: Monitor and control required temperatures in the different phases of production until the product reaches suitable properties according to specifications.
• Manage kiln ventilation: Managing a product specific and energy efficient kiln ventilation.
• Taste cocoa beans: Taste cocoa beans after roasting and make sure that there are no raw or burned flavours.
• Maintain kitchen equipment at correct temperature: Keep the refrigeration and storage of equipment at the correct temperature.
• Maintain industrial ovens: Maintaining industrial ovens in order to ensure effective and correct operation.
• Tend fans for machines: Start fans that force conditioned air into drums or compartments.
• Manage flammable substances: Managing flammable substances to roasting operations and ensuring that safety measures are in place.
• Exert quality control to processing food: Ensure the quality of all factors involved in a food production process.
• Stand high temperatures: Stand high temperatures while keeping concentration and efficiency under demanding circumstances.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of cacao bean roaster. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• History of chocolate: Origins of chocolate. Evolution of chocolate up to today. Preservation and fomentation of the tradition of chocolate.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of cacao bean roaster. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Act reliably: Proceed in a way that one can be relied on or depended on.
• Mark differences in colours: Identify differences between colours, such as shades of colour.
• Work independently in service of a food production process: Work individually as an important element in service of a food production process. This function is executed individually with little or no supervision or collaboration with colleagues.
• Assess cocoa bean quality: Examining the type ofcocoa bean delivered by suppliers and matching it to the desired product.
• Liaise with colleagues: Liaise with fellow colleagues to ensure common understanding on work related affairs and agree on the necessary compromises the parties might need to face. Negotiate compromises between parties as to ensure that work in general run efficiently towards the achievement of the objectives.
• Follow hygienic procedures during food processing: Ensure a clean working space according to hygienic standards in the food processing industry.
• Work in a food processing team: Collaborate in a team with other food processing professionals in service of the food and beverages industry.
• Liaise with managers: Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.
• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production: Make sure to comply with environmental legislation in food production. Understand the legislation related to environmental matters in food manufacturing and apply it in practice.
• Follow verbal instructions: Have the ability to follow spoken instructions received from colleagues. Strive to understand and clarify what is being requested.

8160 – Food and related products machine operators

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References

1. Cacao bean roaster – ESCO
2. Featured image: Photo by cottonbro from Pexels