Inside London Flavour Day 2024 Exploring Consumer Influences & Environmental Issues

Delegates were able to experience Madascagan vanilla while Symrise UK’s Sustainable Development Manager Mimie Ravaroson explained how Symrise is supporting vanilla farmers in Madagascar’s Sava region.
Delegates were able to experience Madascagan vanilla while Symrise UK’s Sustainable Development Manager Mimie Ravaroson explained how Symrise is supporting vanilla farmers in Madagascar’s Sava region.
courtesy of the UK Flavour Association

On April 8, 2024, the UK Flavour Association hosted London Flavour Day 2024 at the Wellcome Collection in London to explore the crucial role of flavor, the choices consumers make, the impact of these on diet and how the flavor industry can be as sustainable as possible.

London Flavour Day 2024 also celebrated the work of final-year students from the University of Nottingham who took part in a flavor industry challenge earlier this year. The competition is just one of the ways the flavour industry is supporting future food flavorists and researchers, with support for this competition showcasing the various career opportunities available within the sector to those looking for their first career move. 

The winning student project on chewing gum flavor matching was displayed at the event. Two of the students involved, Megan Burrows and Gemma Green discussed their work with delegates. This competition is just one of the ways the flavor industry is supporting future food flavorists and researchers, with support for this competition showcasing the various career opportunities available within the sector to those looking for their first career move.The winning student project on chewing gum flavor matching was displayed at the event. Two of the students involved, Megan Burrows and Gemma Green discussed their work with delegates. This competition is just one of the ways the flavor industry is supporting future food flavorists and researchers, with support for this competition showcasing the various career opportunities available within the sector to those looking for their first career move.courtesy of the UK Flavour Association

 London Flavour Day Speakers/Sessions

This year’s event began with three inspiring talks by leading research psychologists who each investigated different elements of flavor and the impact on consumer behavior related to food choices. Givaudan’s technical director of Taste and Wellbeing Debbie Calver chaired the session, providing insights from her 40-year career in the flavor industry.   

Martin Yeomans, professor of Experimental Psychology from the University of Sussex, discussed individual differences in flavor perception, flavor-related pleasure and how these impact diet, food choices and appetite control. 

The University of Bristol’s professor of Experimental Psychology Jeff Brunstrom focused on the role flavor plays in everyday dietary and food decisions. 

Laura Wilkinson, Ph.D., associate professor in Psychology from Swansea University, focused on multi-component food items and how they impact eating behaviors. Wilkinson discussed her ongoing research which offers the possibility of product reformulation with health and sustainability in mind.

Laura Wilkinson, Ph.D., associate professor in Psychology from Swansea University.Laura Wilkinson, Ph.D., associate professor in Psychology from Swansea University.courtesy of the UK Flavour Association

Chaired by Helen McNair, technical director at Lionel Hitchen and a member of the IOFI Sustainability Working Group, the afternoon sessions focused on the need for food, flavor and our choices to become more sustainable. McNair provided an overview of the IFRA-IOFI (International Fragrance Association UK and International Organization of the Flavor Industry) Sustainability Charter.

University of York’s professor of Green Chemistry Avtar S. Matharu discussed green chemistry and opportunities from unavoidable food supply chain waste.

James Smith, vice president and managing director of Kalsec will talk about their journey to gaining B-Corp certification in 2020, and how they’re harnessing the power of Kalsec’s business to solve social and environmental problems.

The University of Bristol’s professor of Experimental Psychology Jeff Brunstrom.The University of Bristol’s professor of Experimental Psychology Jeff Brunstrom.courtesy of the UK Flavour Association

McNair discussed EcoVadis, how it works, and the pros/cons.

Symrise UK’s Sustainable Development Manager Mimie Ravaroson explained how Symrise is supporting vanilla farmers in Madagascar’s Sava region who face many challenges when producing high-quality vanilla for worldwide consumers, from pollination to harvest. 

Janis Sinton, vice chair of the UK Flavour Association and Founder Director of TasteTech, said, “Sharing best practices, new ideas, research findings and skills is exactly why events such as London Flavour Day are so beneficial for the sector. The important work by our speakers today highlights the need for ongoing research in the flavor sector and how we can adapt to the ever-changing requirements for food and the flavor industry as we work to become as sustainable as possible.”

She continued, “I’m delighted that the next generation of flavor experts is being celebrated today as well. It was a pleasure for the UK Flavour Association to sponsor students from the University of Nottingham in their final-year project, and we hope that being a part of London Flavour Day will inspire them to successful careers in the flavor industry.”

 


More in Event Coverage