Notes

What is Kokumi?

Kokumi is a Japanese word used worldwide to describe the complex, rich, full-bodied and long-lasting sensation of a long stew, a wine aged for years or a mature cheese.

What is the relationship between Kokumi and Umami and what is the difference?

You might consider the freshness-based sensation of Kokumi, plus the mouth-filling, long-lasting and complex sensation that this substance provides.

Typical kokumi providing substances are already adhered to in natural foods such as yeast, garlic, scallops, onions, fish sauce, soy sauce, shrimp paste, etc.
Typical kokumi substances are not tasty by themselves. Examples are gamma-glutamyl or gamma-leucyl dipeptide or tripeptide, two well-known peptides are glutathione, or Glu-Cys-Gly, and gamma-EVG, or gamma-Glu-Val-Gly
One can taste the mellowness by combining fresh and mellow substances. The word lunar is the key word to understand kokumi, which means freshness all over the body and full of taste in the mouth. With the feeling of kokumi, the freshness can stay longer. There is also kokumi and increase the intensity of fresh taste.
Although there is no Kokumi substance, the fresh taste is simple and disappears quickly and is not satisfying enough.

What are the benefits of Kokumi in the food industry?

Rather than calling Kokumi a sixth flavor, Kokumi feels like a flavor modifier that does not amplify the taste of food. This includes slats, sweet, fresh and spicy flavors or seafood, meat and dairy flavors, giving them a lasting taste.
Kokumi substances have no taste on their own, but they activate calcium receptors on the tongue. When the receptors are activated, humans become sensitive to all flavors many times over.
The addition of strong-flavored yeast extracts not only imparts freshness and intensity to the food, but also sweet, salty and spicy flavors are improved, the sensation of them is richer and the overall flavor of the food is improved. On the other hand, less natural flavors, salt, sugar, etc. need to be added. One study showed that Kokumi yeast extract can reduce salt, sugar or fat by at least 30% without affecting flavor.
Kokumi Yeast Extract is the most advanced product in the yeast extract industry

Yeast extracts are considered flavor enhancers; the first generation of yeast extract is based on the hydrolysis of yeast proteins into tiny peptides and free amino acids; it is called standard yeast extract. The function of standard yeast extracts is to improve the freshness of foods, provide complexity, mask off-flavors, and serve as an ingredient for heat-reacted flavors.
In most cases, the dose of standard and yeast extracts is about 1%.
The 2nd generation are flavored yeast extracts and heat-reactive yeast extracts; standard yeast extracts may have an off-flavor called yeast that
Flavored yeast is a product that contains ingredients or additives that give the yeast extract a new flavor and dilute or cover the yeast, while flavored yeast is closer to the food itself.
Heated reactive yeast extracts must be combined with other food ingredients because sugar completely removes the yeast and produces the flavor of meat or soy sauce through a merad reaction.
Flavored yeast extracts or heated yeast may contain some additives that make them not "clean label".
The third generation of yeast extracts are nucleotide-rich yeast extracts and glutamate-rich yeast extracts.
Nucleotide-rich yeast extracts are produced by hydrolyzing RNA into free nucleotides. Nucleotide-rich yeast extracts improve freshness more than standard yeast extracts and can be used to improve freshness, reduce salt and sugar, and replace MSG.
Glutamate-rich yeast extracts have better flavor than standard yeast extracts, but are not as strong as nucleotide-rich yeast extracts.
The dose of nucleotide-rich yeast extracts is about 0.5%-0.2%
The newest yeast extract in the industry is Kokumi yeast extract; kokumi yeast extract is rich in gamma-glutamyl peptides, glutathione and fresh flavor molecules. It contains all the benefits of yeast extracts. And in smaller doses; it requires only 0.3-0.1%.
And Kokumi yeast extract can improve the overall flavor of foods This includes meat, seafood or dairy products. Even the pungency of vegetables and the flavor of Kokumi Yeast Extract itself is balanced, harmonious and full-bodied. It improves the original flavor of the food by altering the flavor profile of its origin.
Compared to other yeast extracts, the flavor of kokumi yeast extract is longer lasting.

Applications of Kokumi Yeast Extract
Applications
Kokumi yeast extract is not only suitable for traditional fresh flavor applications including compound condiments, dressings, snacks, cookies, broths and soups, sausages, instant noodles, ready-to-eat foods and various sauces; Kokumi also excels in the following applications.
Sweet foods or beverages that require a reduced dose of sugar
Foods requiring a reduced dose of salt
Foods need to reduce the dose of fat
Dairy products, such as cheese or cheese powder
Vegetarian or plant-based foods that require a meaty flavor
Increasing the spiciness of vegetables
MSG replacement.
Food needs to improve thickness, body and longevity
Replacing yeast extracts that bring unpleasant flavors.

Industry Trends
Kokumi is associated with less salt, sugar, fat and natural flavors added to foods, which is associated with limited calories and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
MSG substitution is associated with cleaner labeling and a balance of amino acid intake.
In addition to making food formulations healthier, Kokumi gives food a harmonious and balanced taste, giving it a more natural flavor and differentiating it from cheaper foods that feel like they are full of artificial additives. It helps food manufacturers upgrade their products from competing products.

Kokumi Yeast Extract is the 4th generation of Hiyeast YE products.

We think our kokumi yeast extract is the future of the yeast extract industry. Among most yeast extract alternatives, kokumi yeast extract has a more intense flavor. It can improve the overall flavor of food without changing the original taste, something that other 3 generations of yeast extracts do not have. And the amount of Kokumi yeast extract is very small, only 0.1-0.3%. Finally, Kokumi yeast extract is cheaper.
Hiyeast offers cost effective Kokumi yeast extract worldwide. To get more information, please visit our website.