Firmenich beef flavour created by AI

Perfume and taste company, Firmenich said it has created the first-ever flavour by Artificial Intelligence (AI) –  a grilled beef taste for use in plant-based meat alternatives. A key milestone in Firmenich’s digital transformation across its value chain, this breakthrough provides customers with uniquely tailored taste and nutrition solutions, with unprecedented speed-to-market. Leading the industry in augmented creativity, the Group is in advanced testing on several new AI-generated Flavors across its core tonalities.

Unique grilled beef taste will add flavour especially to plant-based protein products. 

“Firmenich is marrying the most fundamental elements of our DNA: ground-breaking innovation with the unique creativity of our Flavorists for enhanced formulation,” said Firmenich’s Chief Digital and Information Officer, Eric Saracchi. “AI enables us to explore new boundaries by empowering our Creators with a precise formula starting point, as well as additional suggestions for optimised ingredient combinations from which they can create bespoke tastes.”

Firmenich Flavors President Emmanuel Butstraen added: “The Covid-19 crisis has changed the food innovation landscape as well as the consumer marketplace. We must understand and respond to these rapidly-evolving needs with more creativity at an even faster pace. Whether through offering moments of comfort and delight or addressing the larger shift towards healthier food & beverages.” Butstraen continued, “The exciting addition of AI allows us to better leverage different raw materials and explore new creative leads. Taking into account specific product parameters such as 100% natural ingredients and regulatory requirements, the technology enhances our flavorists’ capability to create superior taste solutions and accelerate our product development.”

The world’s first AI flavour was created in collaboration with Microsoft®, leveraging the entirety of Firmenich’s broad raw material database. The resulting grilled beef flavor capitalises on Firmenich’s unique palette of ingredients and SmartProteins™ expertise in plant-based protein alternatives.

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