An apparatus and method of roasting foodstuff such as coffee beans employ a roasting chamber for roasting the beans. An air circulation system operatively coupled with the chamber flows heated air over the beans and thereby roasts the beans, and an air cleaning arrangement is operatively coupled with the air circulation system and located downstream of the chamber for removing substantially all particulates, smoke and volatiles entrained in the used air as it flows through the container and into the air cleaning arrangement to provide substantially pollutant-free used air. The circulation system uses atmospheric air and heats, cleans and cools it within as little as 1/4 second. Sensors and a electronic controller are provided to monitor various parameters in the roasting apparatus and control the roasting characteristics. The darkness and/or color of the beans during roasting is monitored to ensure proper roasting. The roasting in roasting machines at a plurality of geographically separate locations is controlled by equipping each roasting machine with a computer with memory and providing a central control station for downloading control signals to the computer to control roasting.