Ingredion harnesses AI to accelerate ingredient innovation

USA – Ingredion Inc., the global ingredient solutions provider headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize its innovation pipeline and strengthen its role as a co-creation partner for food manufacturers.

During its recent investor day, executives unveiled a strategic initiative to deploy predictive AI tools that connect consumer preferences with ingredient functionality, thereby dramatically reducing development cycles and boosting formulation success rates.

Calling it the “next evolution,” Michael O’Riordan, Senior Vice President of Texture and Health Solutions for EMEA and Asia-Pacific, highlighted how AI is enabling Ingredion to translate consumer textural desires into precise ingredient combinations.

“We’re running pilots to see how quickly we can work with customers to co-develop recipes that succeed in the marketplace,” said O’Riordan. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive”.

The company’s predictive formulation tools are built on years of proprietary data linking chemistry, structure, and consumer insights.

By leveraging this data, Ingredion can rapidly identify unmet market needs and convert them into technical specifications and ingredient performance targets.

“We’re doing this faster than ever before,” said Mike Leonard, Chief Innovation Officer. “The more success our customers have, the stickier our innovation becomes, and the more value we deliver”.

Ingredion sees multiple pathways to monetizing its AI capabilities. Beyond ingredient sales, the company is exploring consultancy services and integrated solution models.

As more food companies outsource R&D to stay competitive, Ingredion aims to become a go-to innovation partner, offering both technical expertise and market foresight.

The AI initiative is part of Ingredion’s broader transformation from a traditional ingredient supplier to a holistic solutions provider.

By investing in texture science, product development, and food design, the company is positioning itself at the forefront of food-tech innovation.

O’Riordan emphasized that the AI-driven approach is still in its early stages, with scalability and resource planning underway.

“We’re pioneering something that could reshape how the industry approaches formulation,” said O’Riordan.

As consumer demand for personalized, clean-label, and functional foods continues to rise, Ingredion’s use of AI could redefine how ingredients are developed, tested, and brought to market, making innovation faster, more innovative, and more collaborative than ever.

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