Umami sources in flavorings and seasonings: halal approach

Abstract

Umami, the fifth basic taste expressed in the presence of certain amino acids, peptides, inosinic acids, and guanylic acids improves the overall sensory characteristics of food. It is found in several traditional and locally prepared foods and condiments derived from fermented animal- and plant-based products. Synergistic action of umami-rich ingredients such as glutamate, inosinate, and guanylate is cherished by modern lifestyle consumers with ready-to-eat food and convenient packages. Due to increasing demand, its production evolves to commercial scale utilizing innovative technologies including fermentation, enzymatic hydrolysis, acid hydrolysis, and synthesis methods. While some locally prepared food and condiments can be prepared in a halal manner, commercial preparations, however, involve purchasing raw material from many places, various ingredients, processing steps, handling, and storage practices that need halal authentication. Thus it is necessary to identify and explore halal umami processing technologies to meet the increasing demands of the food industry. The Malaysian Halal Assurance Management System (2020) is used to improve halal production efficiency of the whole production process. Integrated approach provides a general guidance on halal implementation with the use of halal critical control point as a tool. However, the details of the application may vary depending on the specialized processes or activities of the relevant industry...see more.