Savoring the future: exploring umami and kokumi possibilities for 2024

As 2023 drew to a close, Merriam-Webster announced “authentic” as its word of the year. Online searches for the word saw a significant increase as conversations around AI and social media drove greater attention around what it means to be “true to one’s own personality, spirit or character.” As we enter 2024, formulators and food manufacturers will have to keep authenticity top of mind while looking for ways to satisfy consumers’ appetites for new and exciting flavor trends. On top that, they’ll need to consider nutrition, and meeting the FDA’s proposed voluntary sodium reduction targets for April 2024.

New and innovative approaches will be necessary to achieve the sodium targets without compromising great flavor or authenticity.

The Tools Behind the Trends

Food scientists at Ajinomoto Health and Nutrition (AHN) have found that umami and kokumi are both key to formulating on-trend products that taste delicious and potentially offer an improved nutritional profile. Umami is our fifth basic taste, and it literally translates from Japanese to “essence of deliciousness.” In 1908, Kikunae Ikeda discovered that the amino acid glutamate is responsible for the umami taste, a discovery that led to the founding of the Ajinomoto Group. Umami provides a savory flavor or meatiness to foods, and it can be added through several ingredients including monosodium glutamate, or MSG, and yeast extracts. Despite being falsely maligned, MSG is a completely safe, more nutritious way to improve the taste of food products, as it can reduce sodium by up to 30%.

Kokumi is a lesser-known concept that is gaining more industry interest. Translating from Japanese to “rich taste,” kokumi is a sense of richness, body and complexity like the way cheeses and wines age and improve over time. Ajinomoto first discovered this concept in the 1980s through a compound in garlic, and the organization continues to lead the industry in identifying new and unique kokumi ingredients that accentuate different characteristics in food. While tasteless and odorless on their own, kokumi ingredients complement umami by adding complexity to existing flavors in food.

Younger Generations Craving Authenticity

Gen Z consumers are at the forefront of the authenticity movement and will need to be a major consideration for food manufacturers and retailers in 2024. A 2023 study by Ernst & Young found that 91% of Gen Z respondents placed “authenticity” among their highest values, but only 34% trust in large businesses to align with their values.

Umami and kokumi ingredients offer innovative solutions that help elevate authentic flavors while achieving cohesive taste profiles. The perceptions surrounding them are quickly evolving. A 2023 study conducted by Edelman Data and Intelligence found overall acceptance of MSG has increased since the year prior, with the largest growth of seven percentage points among Gen Z. Additionally, this generation is showing less concern over reducing the number of ingredients in their food – the primary motivation behind the clean label trend. Research from AHN found an overwhelming number of Gen Z survey participants would be willing to purchase an improved product if it meant a longer ingredient statement.

If younger generations are less concerned with clean label and more concerned with authenticity, MSG included, major grocers and food manufacturers have even more incentive to reevaluate “no-no” ingredient lists backed by perception and pseudo-science, rather than federally and internationally supported institutional standards.

“Gen Z wants to associate with brands they share values with. If they perceive they’ve been following a company who hasn’t been transparent about the ingredients it does or does not use, expect a big backlash,” predicts Chef Christopher Koetke, CEC CCE HAAC, Corporate Executive Chef at Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition. Check out Chef Christopher on the Pro-Science Movement here.

Umami in Desserts

Desserts are always a rich area for food innovation, and in 2024, the surprising mix of savory and sweet continues to rise in popularity. The mouthwatering characteristics of umami blend with sweetness adding another dimension to desserts like cakes and brownies. Not only does umami provide richness and depth of flavor – it also brings balance to the flavor profile.

“If I taste a recipe and it just seems like it’s missing something, the fastest way to fix that is by bringing umami into the dish,” said Chef Christopher Koetke.

Koetke adds that MSG specifically works well in egg-rich desserts such as ice creams, sauces, custards and curds.

A “Local” Approach to Global Cuisine

According to the Food Institute and The Specialty Food Association, international flavors are a prominent theme to watch for in 2024. But in the coming year, the chefs at AHN say global cuisines and flavors will continue to grow more regional and localized within a specific country. For example, instead of going out for Chinese food, people are going to restaurants that specialize in Cantonese cuisine. The chefs also cite a growing interest in Basque cuisine that stretches across French and Spanish borders as well as regional cuisines within Mexico and India.

Kokumi can go a long way toward helping formulators capture the authenticity of these hyper-localized flavor trends. Even though kokumi is tasteless as an additive, it has the ability to enhance the pungency of spices and amplify the flavor notes that define these dishes, while allowing for less use of these ingredients. This can support improved flavor, nutrition and cost savings in the formulation.

Making 2024 a More Delicious and More Nutritious Year

Both umami and kokumi can play a pivotal role in enhancing savory flavors and building the complex profiles consumers will continue to seek in the coming year. They offer formulators the ability to improve the nutritional profile of various dishes by reducing sodium, sugar, and fat without sacrificing taste. Their potential as bigger players in food formulation in 2024 is endless, supporting larger industry trends like plant-based proteins, authentic flavors, hotter spices, and more, while offering nutritious options.

Ajinomoto Health and Nutrition is built on the discovery of umami and kokumi and remains committed to leading the industry in exploring their potential. Contact our expert team today to discuss custom umami and kokumi solutions for your specific 2024 food challenges.