Can Mathematics Improve the Art of Roasting Coffee?

The goal of the R&D teams of Grupo Nabeiro Innovation Center is to research scientific and technological trends that may accelerate the innovation process of the company. The expected output is new inventions and new knowledge that may be converted into innovation. This strategy demands the application of statistical and mathematical technologies. There is a wide range of applications already in use, namely at the level of experimental design, in the analysis of differences or of the relationships between sensorial and consumer data, as well multivariate applications. The impact of this knowledge allows us to perfect our historical, traditional skills as masters of the art of roasting. Nonetheless, in spite of all the data available there is limited information available that directly links perceived sensory properties of coffee to specific compositional components and roasting profiles. We believe that mathematical technologies will be, at short-term, fundamental to truly understand the compositional drivers of coffee flavour.

The seminar will be organized in two parts, the first dedicated to Grupo Nabeiro history, organogram and future prospects. The second part will be dedicated to the needs of the organization with regard to R&D. Throughout the session, important contributions from mathematics will be pointed out, concluding with the trends for R&D defined in partnership with CEMAT.