Sensorial
- sensory preparation – understand how the different senses apply when tasting
- creating and understanding cacao evaluation profiles
- recognising cacao post-harvest defects through tasting
Evaluation
- understanding the science of tasting and how this can be used in cacao quality
- review of common approaches to flavour profiling
- training in use of the IICCT electronic evaluation system and paper equivalents
Chocolate
- understanding how cacao flavour is translated into chocolate flavour
- learn about chocolate production techniques at different scales, from micro-batch to large-scale industrial and how these influence flavour
Technical
- examine technical criteria for evaluating cacao and their relation to flavour and cacao value
- quality control of post-harvest development through evaluation
Marketing
- quality control of fine cacao for market development
- marketing through flavour
- working with small chocolate makers, adapting the supply chain
- direct sourcing with farmers to market fine cacao to new markets
Assessment
- the course will be assessed with a multiple choice exam and a tasting assessment