Though sometimes described as the “fifth taste,” umami is more than just a perceived flavor. It’s a sensation, a culinary experience and a concept that elevates food to new heights.
From fermented fish sauces like garum, dating back to ancient Rome, to more contemporary inventions like Australia’s beloved chicken salt, the desire to capture the delicious, memorable nature of umami takes on many forms.
While some animal proteins like beef and seafood are naturally rich in umami, non-meat ingredients can also be used to amplify umami in plant-based applications. Sauces ranging from salty to spicy are great for enhancing flavor, thanks to ingredients like soy, kelp, fermented black beans and smoked tomato. Umami-rich mushrooms are also commonly found in protein applications, especially with the rise of blended burgers.
IN THE PROTEIN SPACE:
- Roasted tomato seasoning for cooking chicken and stews (Mexico)
- Vegan sausage made with sunflower seed and pea protein, infused with umami smoked water (Sweden)
- Cauliflower, hemp seed and wild mushroom burgers made with shiitake, porcini and reishi mushrooms, along with black garlic (US)
Not all regions call out “umami” as a retail product descriptor, though, especially in the snacking category. But many craveable treats showcase seaweed, black truffle and aged cheeses that boost flavor without additional salt.
ON RETAIL SHELVES:
- Black truffle mixed root vegetable chips, cooked in rice bran oil (UAE)
- Crunchy oven-baked Parmesan with pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds (Brazil)
- Savory trail mixes with mushroom jerky, pickle chips and toasted corn (Canada)
Flavor-packed dishes are opening consumers’ eyes to the power of umami across many restaurant segments. As demand for bold, intense flavors grows, independents and chain operators alike are finding success incorporating umami-rich ingredients into classic menu items.
ON THE MENU:
- Vegan tortelli pasta with coal-roasted tomato, burratina and black truffle (South Africa)
- A Korean BBQ burger made with teriyaki-braised shredded beef, kimchi, caramelized onion and soy garlic aioli (US)
- French fries shaken with a sweet and sour ume plum, grilled nori, garlic and black pepper salt (Japan)
The desire to harness umami is at the heart of many global culinary styles, drawn out through techniques like curing, roasting and slow cooking that break down proteins and naturally produce glutamates. As consumers seek out simpler, more wholesome diets, umami-rich ingredients hold exceptional power to transform the way we eat.
3 PERFECT BITES
FOODSERVICE:
The use of “umami” as a menu descriptor is growing across channels, while other operators simply promote umami ingredients like shiitake, soy and seaweed—recognizing them for their rich flavor and mouthfeel.
PROTEIN PROCESSORS:
Seasonings, stock add-ins and sauces are enhancing proteins that don’t inherently create an umami experience. This is also true of meat alternatives looking to replicate the experience of proteins such as beef.
SNACKING:
Powerhouse flavors and ingredients such as Parmesan, matcha and tomato are being leveraged to create umami-rich snacking experiences in a variety of formats.
AMPED-UP UMAMI
Umami is the star of the show in Chef Chris Schwellenbach’s Mighty Maitake dish. It features grilled maitake mushrooms dressed in a soy, mirin and chili glaze made with Custom Culinary® Vegetable Liquid Stock Concentrate. They’re served with gochugaru aioli, crispy shallots sprinkled with Griffith Foods Sesame Umami Topical Seasoning and caramelized kimchi. Watch our video to discover this exciting play on textures and flavors!
CREATE AND INNOVATE
UMAMI-RICH INGREDIENTS
Showcasing a variety of cooking techniques to coax out umami flavors helps to elevate pasta in a delicious way. Think aged Parmesan, perfectly sautéed mushrooms, truffle paste and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
Bucatini with Porcini Mushrooms and Truffles
Al dente bucatini tossed with a creamy truffle sauce, topped with sautéed porcini mushrooms and aged Parmesan cheese. Finished with black truffle and parsley.
TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Umami notes add a craveable quality to composed dishes and product offerings alike. Contact your Griffith Foods representative to learn how our versatile products can enhance your culinary creations.
Seasonings
From bold snack flavorings to marinades and rubs that are perfect for any protein or plant-based option, our umami-forward seasonings truly deliver.
- Salted Egg and Nori Snack Seasoning
- Country Ham Topical
- Lap Cheong Chinese Sausage Seasoning
- Birria Rub and Braising Seasoning
Sauces and Dressings
Notes of soy, bonito, kombu and shiitake shine in our savory sauces, which can be used for simmering, basting, finishing or dipping.
- Ssamjang BBQ Sauce
- Soba Noodle Dipping Sauce
- Umami Stir Fry Sauce
Textures and Coatings
While breading applications can often mask umami flavors, we do offer batters that retain savory notes of soy and sesame to enhance the finished product.
- Korean Fried Chicken Marinade and Batter
FUTURE BITES
Umami feeds the need for more intense, more craveable and more exciting flavor across both retail and foodservice applications. What’s coming next?
MEATY WITHOUT MEAT:
With more consumers limiting their animal product consumption, brands will leverage vegetarian umami seasonings, stocks and bases to recreate and enhance “meaty” flavor.
GETTING DESCRIPTIVE:
Snack brands and foodservice operators will be more descriptive with their callouts, connecting specific ingredients to umami-related flavor language to better educate consumers on the concept.
INTRODUCING KOKUMI:
Japanese scientists have identified a sensation called “kokumi,” described as a perceived richness that heightens other flavors. When studied alongside umami, it could serve to unlock foods that taste more delicious and savory than ever before.
Sources:
Mintel, 2024 FlavorIQ® Food and Flavor Outlook Report, January 2024.
“Move over umami, a sixth taste sensation has been discovered,” Delicious, July 22, 2019.
Taras Grescoe, “Culinary Detectives Try to Recover the Formula for a Deliciously Fishy Roman Condiment,” Smithsonian Magazine, November 2021.
Tommy Werner, “What Is Chicken Salt? It’s Australia’s Secret Umami Bomb,” Epicurious, May 16, 2019.
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