Savory Ingredient Trends: A Flavorful Evolution in the Food Industry

The savory ingredient market has evolved over the past decade, moving beyond MSG-based flavor enhancements to include options like umami, kokumi, smoky, roasty, and cheesy flavors. Clean label trends are driving innovative efforts to replace MSG, although balancing cost and flavor remains a challenge. Back then, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) gained attention, but concerns over acid hydrolysis led to the development of enzymatic alternatives, which remain costly. Nucleotides also became popular, but issues with E-numbers and clean label requirements have hindered their acceptance in Western markets.

Yeast extract has become increasingly popular, leading to numerous new product launches. The introduction of high nucleotide yeast extract has resolved clean labeling issues, although pricing remains a significant consideration. This shift has paved the way for more innovative uses of yeast extract in the market. Cheesy notes derived from yeast extract are gaining popularity for boosting umami and enhancing mouthfeel and are expected to be used in snacks, sauces, and vegan cheese. Additionally, the use of high glutamic acid yeast extract is on the rise to intensify spiciness and improve mouthfeel.

In recent years, there has been a growing trend in the yeast extract market, driven by the increasing popularity of organic yeast extract. Even though organic yeast extract was introduced in 2016, it has recently gained momentum due to the spurred global demand for organic products in North America and Europe. The production of organic yeast is expensive; however, despite the higher costs, the demand remains strong in markets willing to pay for organic products.

The acquisition of DSM-Firmenich by Biospringer in June 2024 will lead to more concentrated production. Before the acquisition, Biospringer had a market share of 22%. However, with the acquisition, Biospringer's market share is expected to increase to 28%. It will be interesting to observe how this acquisition affects the market dynamics.

The study on savory ingredients provides a detailed analysis of all savory ingredients in terms of production, demand, and price. Furthermore, it focuses on the end-user perspective regarding umami and kokumi sensations.

About the author: Mahalakshmi palani is a research associate who has been associated with GIRACT act for almost a year now. She has completed her Master's degree in Food Technology & Management. In Giract, she has  worked on potato starch, savory, probiotics and currently she is focusing on allulose. She can be contacted mahalakshmi@giract.com.