HUNT VALLEY, Md. – McCormick & Co. is collaborating with IBM to “pioneer” the application of artificial intelligence (AI) for flavor and food product development, the companies said.

Using IBM Research AI for Product Composition, McCormick’s product developers will be able to more efficiently explore flavor territories, McCormick said. The company will also use IBM AI to predict new flavor combinations from millions of data points across the areas of sensory science, consumer preference and flavor palettes.

“IBM Research’s collaboration with McCormick illustrates our commitment to helping our clients and partners drive innovation across industries,” said Kathryn Guarini, vice president of industry research for IBM. “By combining McCormick’s deep data and expertise in science and taste with IBM’s AI capabilities, we are working together to unlock the bounds of creativity and transform the food and flavor development process.”

McCormick plans to launch its first AI-enabled product platform, “ONE,” by mid-2019. The platform was developed to deliver popular flavors with the ability to season both protein and vegetables, McCormick said. Initial offerings will include a set of one-dish recipe mix flavors such as Tuscan Chicken, Bourbon Pork Tenderloin and New Orleans Sausage.

“McCormick’s use of artificial intelligence highlights our commitment to insight-driven innovation and the application of the most forward-looking technologies to continually enhance our products and bring new flavors to market,” said Lawrence Kurzius, chairman, president and CEO of McCormick. “This is one of several projects in our pipeline where we’ve embraced new and emerging technologies.”