Yesterday, the Lesaffre Group held its first-ever Digital, Data & Tech Awards ceremony, celebrating innovation and showcasing the remarkable work happening within the organization. From more than 100 submissions, ten projects were selected to be presented before a jury and the wider company.
Among these finalists was a project put forward by Fermentis on Sensory Machine Learning. This project was a collaborative effort between the Fermentis Academy and the Lesaffre Group’s R&D teams. The project aimed to leverage the power of machine learning to explore and predict how yeast strains shape the aromatic profiles of beer, using the wealth of analytical and sensory data collected from our R&D programs and sensory analysis panels as a guiding framework.
By training the models on this extensive dataset, the team was able to identify previously unseen patterns and correlations, shedding new light on the mechanisms underlying yeast-derived aromas. The insights gained from this project have been transformative, not only for internal product development but also for empowering our customers to make informed decisions.
“What began years ago as a data-driven vision, in times when much was still uncertain and technology less advanced, has grown into projects built on persistence, curiosity, and teamwork,” said Dr. Gabriela Montandon, Fermentis Global R&D Manager. “It now stands as a true testament to the power of connecting science, technology, and people with dedication.
The ability to quantify and visualize the aromatic potential of our yeast strains has opened new avenues for collaboration and co-creation with our brewing partners. By sharing these data-driven insights, we aim to empower our customers to experiment with novel yeasts and fermentation combinations, unlocking new flavor profiles and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of craft beer.
At Fermentis, we’re passionate about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of fermentation. This prize recognizes our hard work and commitment to utilizing digital solutions to transform the way we work and engage with our customers.
We’re thrilled that this project will continue to provide our customers with the tools and insights they need to thrive in the ever-evolving brewing industry.