Darin Ashram Sukha
Qualifications:
Ph.D. (Food Sci. & Tech.) Faculty of Engineering. 2008
The University of the West Indies,
St. Augustine, Trinidad.
M.Sc. (Food Tech.) Faculty of Engineering. 1997
The University of the West Indies,
St. Augustine, Trinidad.
B.Sc. (Agric.) Hons. Faculty of Agriculture. 1994
The University of the West Indies,
St. Augustine, Trinidad.
Experience:
Research Fellow Cocoa Research Centre Aug 2008 to present
The University of the West Indies,
St. Augustine, Trinidad.
External Consultant MARS Global Chocolate, USA Oct 2011 to Sep 2013
External Consultant CIAT, Colombia Sep 2009 to Jun 2010
Junior Research Fellow Cocoa Research Unit Aug 2000 to Jul 2008
The University of the West Indies,
St. Augustine, Trinidad.
Graduate Research Assistant Cocoa Research Unit Aug 1997 to Jul 2000
The University of the West Indies,
St. Augustine, Trinidad.
Technical Assistant Cocoa Research Unit Jun 1995 to Jul 1997
The University of the West Indies,
St. Augustine, Trinidad.
Research activities:
The fermentation and drying of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.)
Factors affecting flavour development in cocoa
Quality certification, food safety and branding of cocoa
Physical, chemical and sensory assessments of quality in cocoa
Sensory evaluation methods for foods
Flavour profile characteristics of different cocoa varieties as cocoa liquors and chocolates
Value added and further processing of chocolate, related cocoa products and by-products
Additional training:
CALIDENA Train the Trainers Workshop under the PTB/CROSQ Project “Development of a Demand Oriented and Regionally Harmonized Quality Infrastructure (QI) in the Caribbean – RQI 4 Project”. 9th – 10th December, 2014.
Results-based project Monitoring and Evaluation. Institute of Critical Thinking, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine and Organisation of American States. 21st – 23rd September, 2010.
Field Genebank Management: Problems and potential solutions. University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, College of Agricultural Sciences and the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (now Bioversity International). 13th – 18th November, 1995.
Current duties:
(i) Research team leader of the Food Technology Section at the Cocoa Research Centre conducting research on fermentation, drying, quality assessment and sensory evaluation of cocoa CLICK HERE for more information.
(ii) Cocoa value added product development in premium dark chocolates and other products CLICK HERE for more information.
(iii) Conducting training courses in:
- Cocoa post-harvest processing, quality assessment, food safety and certification.
Introduction to chocolate making.
Sensory evaluation procedures of cocoa liquors and chocolates.
(iv) Carrying out physical and sensory cocoa bean quality assessments for local and international cocoa buyers, sellers and chocolate manufacturers.
(v) Student supervision for Under Graduate and Post Graduate degrees.