This work is the application of SAFES technique for roasting bean coffee. The roasting operation was divided in to three changing stages, determined with the beginning of the pyrolysis and the cooling bean. All data were based on bibliographical search, where the raw material was bean coffee (Arabian from Brazil), the roasting operation variables were 200 degrees C of temperature and 12 min. of roasting time and the rest of the bibliography data were all the necessary tools to develop all tensors (relationship between components, phases and aggregation state). The energy generated in the pyrolysis reaction is included in the enthalpy variation. The transformation tensor was calculated using the weight loss curve and the roasting tensor described all changes, dehydration, glass transition, sugar degradation and chemical and biochemical reactions. The energy balances are described in enthalpy and entropy variations. In short, the SAFES technique works to describe this operation, is useful to determine and predict all changes in the food matter and permits us to determine the behaviors involved in this operation. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.