Flavours and ingredients manufacturer Quest Food has released two new yeast based savoury applications within its Taste and Texture platform in a bid to capitalise on the US$30m yeast extract taste enhancer market; Umamex™-XLM, which is similar to MSG, and Oven Roast Extract.
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Umamex™-XLM, the first in this category to be launched, is designed to enrich soups, sauces, ready meals and noodle seasonings. It is a natural flavouring, reflecting consumer demands for acceptable labelling and combining health with convenience.
Kay Crimmins, Quest’s business development manager yeast, explains: “Umamex™-XLM can be used in many different processing conditions and delivers high performance without significantly increasing formulation costs. It’s also low in salt – at only 10% – and has a profile impact close to MSG. There’s no direct equivalent anywhere else on the market.”
The new product’s name derives from “Umami”, a term originally coined in Japan to describe the taste enhancement effect of traditional stock dishes like “dashi” which was later linked to the presence of MSG. Today, “umami” is well known around the globe as the fifth taste element – adding to the other four: bitter, sour, sweet and salt. The ‘XLM’ in the other part of the product name is ‘shorthand’ for ‘excellent mouthfeel’.
John Smit, global marketing director, culinary, commented: “Recognising the market potential for non-declarable taste-enhancers, we have invested in a development programme to create this next generation of enhancers as a replacement for MSG. Umamex™ has demanded the ultimate combination of our skills in yeast, flavour, sensory and application expertise.”
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By GlobalDataOven Roast Extract, a yeast and vegetable extract supplied in quick-dispersing, non-dusting form, is meanwhile being heralded as a potential market leader by Quest because of its Very low application dose rates, the chef-style dark roast visual and taste impact, and the labelling advantage.
Crimmins explained: “The yeast-based product has been designed to impart an authentic dark roast flavour and impact to savoury applications such as soups, sauces, ready meals and noodle seasoning. Its yeast base allows it to bear the declaration of `Yeast and Vegetable Extract’, so making it an appropriate choice where it’s important to avoid a ‘flavouring’ declaration.”
Smit added: “In Europe especially, the emphasis on ‘clean label’ is gaining strength among major ready meal manufacturers who are focused on changing the consumer perception from processed food to kitchen-style fresh food. This has been an excellent opportunity for us to rise to this challenge and make full use of our dual strengths as an integrated food ingredients and flavour house.”
