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The ‘Flavour Ambassadors’ is an EFFA multimedia project launched in 2019 and aimed at sharing the passion and expertise of European flavour professionals. Through the project we aim to give the industry a “voice” and showcase its many facades and the blend of knowledge that is needed to create flavourings that ultimately enrich our food and drinks.

The community of Flavour Ambassadors is comprised of varied industry specialists who are passionate about their profession and volunteered to take part in this EFFA project. Our Flavour Ambassadors represent the different departments of variously sized companies from all over Europe and are of different cultures andbackgrounds. In each episode of the interviews, the ambassadors show the various aspects in the creating process, explain what their role in the flavour house is, what drives and challenges them, and how their expertise contributes to the flavour and food industry in Europe and globally. With professionals ranging from regulatory to sensory and marketing departments, each focuses on their own expertise and added value and together they showcase the complexity of the flavour industry processes.

In this interview, Research & Development Manager - Renaud Bouat explains the role of the R&D department of a flavour house in providing flavour solutions to the market.

renaud bouat

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

WHAT DOES R&D MEAN IN PARTICULAR FOR THE FLAVOUR INDUSTRY, WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU RESEARCH AND DEVELOP?

Every day in an R&D laboratory, we create taste solutions focused on customer requirements whether they are for a specific application or region for example. Throughout the year, technical challenges are always changing: the flavour industry is connected with nature and the seasons. Flavour solutions combine taste, emotion and safety. We try to decode the relationship between the customer and their food preference for several aromatic ingredients, by using sensory analysis.

WITH WHICH OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF THE FLAVOUR HOUSE DO YOU INTERACT DURING YOUR WORK?

The R&D team works across all departments and in particular with Sales, Legal, Supply Chain and Quality.

WHAT IS A NORMAL DAY AT WORK LIKE FOR YOU?

There are no normal days! One day we could be creating pineapple or strawberry flavours and another day we could be extracting the aromatic notes from several fruits such as pears or nuts. It’s very exciting to switch between technical challenges throughout the day.

ANY SPECIFIC ANECDOTES ABOUT WORKING IN A FLAVOUR HOUSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?

Cultural differences could be a source of surprise: a few months ago we developed a geranium flavour for asian customers. In France, the meaning associated with this is totally different. Here, in France, it’s connected with sadness but in Asia it’s related to happiness!