DSM takes taste-neutral yeast extract to US
Orlando as a platform to launch its new natural-tasting yeast
extract ingredient on the US market.
Maxarome Select, which is the groups latest addition to its high 5 nucleotide yeast extract range, claims to improve taste and flavour impact in a wide variety of food applications.
"Maxarome Select presents a significant breakthrough in taste enhancement for all applications, even in low fat products which sometimes have a poor flavour. Trials have shown that by using this product, even at low dosage levels, manufacturers will see considerable taste improvement," said the company.
The product, which was launched in Europe at the FiE show in Paris last year, claims to be of particular interest to manufacturers seeking to reduce sodium levels in their products.
The ingredient is marketed as having a faster, stronger and longer taste impact, delivering a "strong umami donation and dramatic flavour enhancement sought after by modern food manufacturers."
DSM claims that its product can be used to improve overall quality perception in products including crisps, dressings, low fat cheeses, snacks, meaty products and soups. The ingredient also claims to improve balance and round off unwanted peaks where off-notes are present.
"Maxarome Select is DSM's forth generation of yeast-based flavour enhancers, and represents an evolution in this sector, " DSM Food Specialties product manager Iwan Brandsma told FoodNavigator at FiE last year.
"It is completely taste neutral, this is what makes it innovative. It is a completely natural taste enhancer. And manufacturers can label it as yeast extract."
This goes against the grain of what properties yeast extracts are expected to possess. Yeast is widely used in the food industry because of its taste contribution it can impart a meaty bouillon taste to a wide variety of products. This is derived from the yeast's amino acid and peptide complex.
DSM's Savorkey range of yeast-based reaction flavours, for example, is a more conventional use of yeast as a value added ingredient.
However, new technology means that it is possible to develop speciality yeasts that are rich in glutamates and nucleotides. The synergistic effect of these two compounds makes it possible to use extracts exclusively to improve unami taste and enhance flavour.
And the advantage of using yeast extract is that Maxarome Select is a clean label, completely natural solution.
"This opens up new possibilities. Beforehand, yeast extracts could not be used in such applications because they would impact unfavourably on the flavour. Now we can add yeast without a negative flavour, such as in Thousand Island dressing, and contribute to mouthfeel and fullness."
Brandsma also points out that even though the product is not being marketed as a salt replacer it can be used to eliminate other tastes that would traditionally have required sodium.
The product is the newest addition to DSM's nucleotide yeast extract range.
"It reflects our building block approach to flavours, said Brandsma. You start with a basic savoury foundation, then take yeast and turn it into a reaction flavour such as boiled chicken."
The global yeast market is worth around 1.17 billion. A handful of European suppliers, including BioSpringer, DSM, and Bel Industries, supply two-third's of the world's 100,000 MT consumption. In addition, this market is growing on the back of increasing demand for natural ingredients in processed foods.
