PJSC Enzym II (Ukraine)- Advice for Small Businesses- International Advisory – EBRD-Funded Sensory & Innovation Project

Role: Sensory & Quality Specialist (Area D)
Programme: EBRD Small Business Impact Fund

I was appointed as the Area D specialist, responsible for designing and embedding the sensory and quality layer that makes fermentation innovation commercially viable.

What I built

I created and implemented a complete sensory infrastructure for yeast extracts and reaction flavours, turning subjective tasting into a measurable, reproducible, and decision-ready system.

This included:

1. A production-ready sensory QA method
I designed a fast, reliable sensory evaluation protocol specifically adapted to yeast extracts.
It was tested, refined, and integrated into Enzym’s batch comparison and quality control workflows, enabling objective tracking of flavour drift, off-notes, and product consistency.

2. A trained, calibrated sensory panel
I delivered an intensive multi-day training programme for Enzym’s sensory team covering:

• Comparative batch tasting

• Off-note detection (rancid, smoky, acidic, burnt, fruity, resiny, etc.)

• Sensory mapping and flavour profiling

• Application testing in natural reaction flavours

By the end of the programme, Enzym had an internal panel capable of reliable discrimination and meaningful flavour description, documented in a formal technical report.

3. A proprietary yeast-specific sensory lexicon
I developed a bespoke sensory language for yeast extracts, mapping descriptors to reference compounds and production realities.
This lexicon became the foundation of Enzym’s standardised sensory framework for R&D, QA, and customer communication.

4. Statistical control of human perception
To eliminate panel noise and bias, I introduced statistical performance monitoring using:

• Standard deviation for individual assessors

• ANOVA for group reproducibility and product discrimination

This turned tasting from opinion into controlled measurement, allowing Enzym to scale sensory decisions with confidence.

Commercial impact

By the end of the project, Enzym had:

• A fully operational sensory QA system

• A trained and statistically monitored sensory panel

• A formalised yeast-extract sensory language

• Documented sensory records supporting product development and batch control

These systems directly supported the creation of a new portfolio of yeast-based reaction flavours (including roast beef, bacon, pork, and chicken profiles) with multiple products reaching commercial-grade sensory scores.

Why this matters

Fermentation companies fail not because they cannot make yeast — but because they cannot control flavour and consistency at scale.

This project turned Enzym’s sensory capability into a strategic asset, enabling:

• Faster R&D cycles

• Stronger QA and customer trust

• Export-ready product positioning

• Higher-value flavour and extract innovation

It is exactly the kind of invisible infrastructure that separates commodity producers from global ingredient brands.