Kokumi, the latest taste profile joining sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami, is now the focus of a research program by the Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC). This ‘sixth taste’ is said to enhance the richness and roundness of flavours, intensifying and prolonging the other five tastes.
Kokumi is naturally present in aged and fermented foods such as alcohol, soy sauce, fish sauce, bread, chicken soup, and shrimp paste, and contributes to the rich flavours of slow-simmered stews and aged cheeses.
Unlike the other taste profiles, kokumi is not linked to a single molecule but is activated by glutamyl peptides found in these aged and fermented foods.
AMPC, in collaboration with AgResearch NZ, is exploring how to extract these flavour peptides from beef offal products like lungs and livers. Its goal is to transform kokumi into a powder form suitable for commercialisation.
AMPC program manager, Ann McDonald, said, “Currently, offal products are often rendered or turned into pet food. The outcomes from this research program will significantly add value to offal products, which are generally considered low value.
“Importantly, this kind of work has never been done in meat before. While there are commercially available plant-based organic flavour enhancers, not a single animal-based kokumi flavour-enhancing product exists in the current global market."
AgResearch International business manager for Australia and Asia, Li Day, said, “AgResearch has developed a cost-effective enzymatic method to generate food-grade kokumi flavour peptides. These can be added to food to enhance its flavour and provide depth and enhancement.
“In this research, we are producing kokumi taste extracts from beef offal products that can be added to any food recipe to elevate its overall flavour. This will provide a fantastic opportunity for the red meat processing industry to add value to beef offal such as liver and lungs.”
The research is expected to conclude later this year. If successful, the ability to extract and commercialise kokumi from red meat could offer a new dimension to culinary experiences and add significant value to what has traditionally been considered low-value meat products.
