BBSRC CTP: Designing chocolate products with enhanced health, wellbeing and technical performance using artificial intelligence

One full scholarship is available in the School of Food Science and Nutrition in 2026. This scholarship is open to Home fee rated candidates only and covers UK tuition fees, plus a maintenance grant at the UKRI level (£20,780 in 2025/26) for four years, plus £1,800 top-up per year, subject to satisfactory progress.<br /> <br /> This fully funded PhD place provides an exciting opportunity to pursue postgraduate research in a range of fields relating to Food Science, Nutrition and Data Analytics with the industry partner Mondelez International.<br /> <br /> The proposed start date for the project is 1st September 2026 and funding must be taken up by this date, but an earlier start date may be possible.<br />

<p style="text-align:justify; margin-bottom:11px">Many of the potentially beneficial, health-promoting or functional compounds present in the raw materials of chocolate are negatively impacted through the subsequent processing steps involved in chocolate mass making. Cocoa alone contains more phenolic compounds than most foods, with flavonoids possessing antioxidant activity.  Many studies have further evaluated the potential health benefits of cocoa products and their contribution to preventing chronic diseases.  However, it has also been demonstrated that the chocolate making process of fermentation, drying, roasting, refining, conching and tempering leads to a loss or reduction in many of the antioxidant, bioactive and flavonoid compounds.  Polyphenol content has been documented to reduce ten times from its original content during chocolate production and certain flavonoids are almost completely lost. Overall antioxidant activity has also been demonstrated to significantly reduce during the process of conching.  However, it is hypothesised that through optimal processing, compounds of interest such as phenolic compounds could be retained in the chocolate. However, the links between phenolic compounds and processing conditions is complex and new data analysis methods are required to understand the relationships. The interest of the project therefore lies in evaluating traditional and novel processes that facilitate the retention of key compounds within chocolate and respective ingredients using artificial intelligence (machine learning) methods. It is also believed that improving the process at critical points during cocoa pre-treatment will mitigate many of the undesirable losses further down in the process and machine learning methods can identify the optimal processing conditions.</p> <p style="text-align:justify; margin-bottom:11px">The PhD will aim to determine a collated portfolio detailing the most important components of chocolate and related ingredients to provide health, wellbeing (e.g., superior nutrition), or functional (e.g., extended shelf-life) interest from literature review.  Evaluate the potential benefits using legitimate ingredients and identify optimal processing routes for their respective retention using machine learning methods, whilst being respectful to potential new nutritional challenges.    </p> <p paraeid="{fc3716a4-491a-4e86-ba43-053e16491228}{42}" paraid="1611328052">This will be supported by practical studies to: </p> <ol> <li paraeid="{fc3716a4-491a-4e86-ba43-053e16491228}{48}" paraid="499629193">Develop a chocolate or confectionery snack with the best nutritional / functional profile  </li> <li paraeid="{fc3716a4-491a-4e86-ba43-053e16491228}{54}" paraid="311992314">Develop machine learning (a type of AI) models to 1) predict the nutritional/function profile of chocolate or confectionary snack products; 2) Determine the optimal processing conditions to maximize the nutritional/functional profile  </li> <li paraeid="{fc3716a4-491a-4e86-ba43-053e16491228}{60}" paraid="71164643">Demonstrate at least one beneficial effect based on the main nutritional improvement. As an example, an area of investigation could be interest in cocoa fibres and/or polyphenols. </li> </ol> <p paraeid="{fc3716a4-491a-4e86-ba43-053e16491228}{72}" paraid="1426514300">The student would take full advantage of the collaboration with Mondelez by taking up a placement during their studentship at a UK site. In particular, it will include access to the chocolate pilot plant in which the student will experiment technologies related to chocolate snack products and will develop prototypes with improved nutritional/functional profile based on machine learning models identified during the PhD. This project will be an opportunity to identify current and potentially new nutritional challenges that may impact the chocolate industry as well as traditional and novel processing steps that could be explored to optimise identified benefits.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"> </p> <ul> </ul>

<p>To apply for this project you will need to make a formal application for research degree study through the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">University’s website</a>. You will need to create a login ID with a username and PIN.</p> <ul> <li>For ‘Application type’ please select ‘Research Degrees – Research Postgraduate’.</li> <li>The admissions year for this project is 2025/26 Academic Year.</li> <li>You will need to select your ‘Planned Course of Study’ from a drop-down menu. For this project, scroll down and select ‘PhD Food Science and Nutrition Full-time’.</li> <li>The proposed start date for this project is 1^st September 2026, please use this as your ‘Proposed Start Date of Research’.</li> <li>Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is <strong>BBSRC CTP: Designing chocolate products with enhanced health, wellbeing and technical performance using artificial intelligence</strong> as well as <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/faculty/staff/12297/professor-nicholas-watson">Professor Nik Watson</a> as your proposed supervisor. Please also ensure that you apply to the School of Food Science and Nutrition.</li> </ul> <p>You will be required to provide a personal statement which outlines your interest in the project you are applying for, why you have chosen it and how your skills map onto the requirements of the project. You will also need to provide the following documents:</p> <ul> <li>certificates and transcripts of any academic qualifications</li> <li>English language qualification certificates, if applicable</li> <li>a copy of your CV</li> <li>visa and immigration documents, if applicable</li> </ul> <p>More information on how to apply is available on our website <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">here</a>.</p> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

Applicants to research degree programmes should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline.

For start dates before September 2026, the minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study in the School of Food Science and Nutrition is an IELTS of 6.5 overall with no individual skill band below 6.0 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. For a start date of September 2026, the minimum English language entry requirement is an IELTS of 6.0 with no individual skill below 5.5 in each component or equivalent.

<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><strong>Information about the Award</strong></p> <ul> <li>We are offering 1 full-time PhD scholarship in the School of Food Science and Nutrition for one Home fee rated candidate. This scholarship is open to Home fee rated candidates only and covers UK tuition fees, plus a maintenance grant at the UKRI level (£20,780 in 2025/26) for four years, plus £1,800 top-up per year, subject to satisfactory progress.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Duration of the Award</strong></p> <ul> <li>Full-time (4 years). The award will be made for one year in the first instance and renewable for a further period of up to three years, subject to satisfactory academic progress.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Other Conditions</strong></p> <ul> <li>Applicants must not have already been awarded or be currently studying for a doctoral degree.</li> <li>Awards must be taken up by 1st September 2026.</li> <li>Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship.</li> </ul>

<p>For further information, please contact Professor Nik Watson at <a href="mailto:n.j.watson@leeds.ac.uk">n.j.watson@leeds.ac.uk</a>.</p>