US 2004O142090A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2004/0142090 A1 Goral (43) Pub. Date: Jul. 22, 2004

(54) FLAVOR-ENHANCING FOOD ADDITIVE Publication Classification (76) Inventor: Daniel M. Goral, Antioch, IL (US) (51) Int. Cl." ...... A23L 1/221 (52) U.S. Cl...... 426/650 Correspondence Address: Melanie I. Rauch Pauley Petersen Kinne & Erickson (57) ABSTRACT Suite 365 2800 West Higgins Road Hoffman Estates, IL 60195 (US) A flavor-enhancing product that consists essentially of fish sauce blended with anchovy paste. The blended product (21) Appl. No.: 10/348,790 exhibits elevated umami taste intensity and improved flavor characteristics over those exhibited by fish Sauce or anchovy (22) Filed: Jan. 22, 2003 paste individually. US 2004/O142090 A1 Jul. 22, 2004

FLAVOR-ENHANCING FOOD ADDITIVE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0009. In response to the discussed difficulties and prob BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION lems encountered in the prior art, an all-natural flavor 0001. This invention is directed to a flavor-enhancing enhancing product that exhibits a heightened umami Sensa product that exhibits a heightened umami Sensation com tion has been discovered. pared to the umami Sensation of individual components 0010. The flavor-enhancing product includes fish sauce within the product. blended with anchovy paste. Fish Sauce is the liquid product 0002 Umami is a relatively new term to North American formed when fish are salted and fermented (salt cured) for food producers although Asian cultures, especially the Japa typically one year in temperatures that average around 30 nese, have recognized for many years that “deliciousness” is degrees Centigrade. Anchovy paste is ground anchovy fish, a unique and Specific human taste. Domestic food producers hereafter “paste fish” that have been salted and fermented use the general term “Savory' to describe Several umami (salt cured) for typically 5 months or a suitable duration until characteristics in food products. the meat separates easily from the skeleton of the fish. The Salt curing proceSS for paste fish occurs at a temperature that 0.003 Recently the first real proof of this fifth taste sense averages around 18 degrees Centigrade. possessed by humans, umami, has appeared in the Scientific literature. Closely associated with tastes derived from vari 0011. The ratio of fish sauce to anchovy paste may vary ous marine and meat products, umami is the taste of protein. considerably depending upon the desired flow characteris It also tends to reduce the perception of SourneSS and tics and the intended application of the flavor enhancer. In bitterneSS and increase the perception of SaltineSS and Sweet any case, the flavor-enhancing product Suitably includes neSS. The resulting taste perception has been generally between about 5% and about 95%, or between about 5% and described as “delicious.” Molecular biology studies have about 50%, or between about 50% and about 95% by weight confirmed the physical presence of human taste receptors fish sauce, and between about 5% and about 95%, or that respond to umami Substances which are responsible for between about 5% and about 50%, or between about 50% the delicious protein taste. and about 95% by weight anchovy paste. 0004 Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and the nucleotides 0012. In at least one embodiment, the fish sauce is of inosine monophosphate (IMP) and guanosine monophos Southeast Asian origin. Suitably, the fish Sauce includes at phate (GMP) are commonly recognized flavor enhancers. least 0.8% glutamate, with between about 15 and about 48, Current FDA regulations require that these chemical com or between about 30 and about 48 degrees nitrogen. pounds be specifically identified on product ingredient State 0013 In at least one embodiment, the anchovy paste fish ments. Many food producers will not use these compounds originates from Spain, Morocco, Argentina, Chile, or Peru. in their products because they believe consumerS have a The anchovy paste fish should be fermented for at least 5 negative opinion of them. The industry continues to Seek months or a Suitable duration until the meat Separates easily highly functional flavor enhancers with “clean” labels. from the skeleton of the fish. Suitably, the anchovy paste 0005 Most recently, IMP has been shown to greatly includes at least 0.30% IMP and at least 0.005% GMP. amplify the umami response of the taste receptor in the 0014 With the foregoing in mind, particular embodi presence of various free amino acids and glutamate. When ments of the invention provide an all-natural, cost-efficient, Viewed in the light of these recent molecular biology Studies, flavor-enhancing product that exhibits an unexpectedly high it is apparent that the careful Selection and blending of umami intensity. Additionally, the invention expresses an common food products can create a wide range of excep improved umami taste quality over either of the individual tionally Savory ingredients. components. 0006. A large body of literature shows that many com mon natural foods contain free amino acids (especially DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED glutamate) and nucleotides. These publications infer that the EMBODIMENTS chemicals were responsible for the umami character of the 0015 The present invention is directed to a flavor-en food. Trained Sensory panelists have been able to correlate hancing product that consists essentially of fish Sauce the intensity of the umami taste with the actual content of blended with anchovy paste. The blended product exhibits a individual umami compounds in a Statistically significant higher umami intensity than exhibited by either fish Sauce or C. anchovy paste individually. 0007 Flavor enhancer manufacturers have promoted the 0016 Salt cured anchovy is used as a natural flavor concept that blending MSG and nucleotides increases the enhancer in many common foods Such as Caesar dressings, functionality of the blend. In other words, you can use leSS Worcestershire Sauce, Asian fish Sauce, and Marinara pasta MSG when combined with a small amount of IMP or GMP, Sauces. Flavor enhancement is the primary function of and even less MSG when combined with an IMP/GMP anchovy in these food Systems. Few, if any, product devel blend. The literature documents this Synergy through Sen operS realize how much flavor enhancement is attributable to Sory Studies. There are no known references in the literature anchovy. Anchovy producers know that specific varieties of to blending natural products that contain these Substances to fish taste more delicious than others. Also, the quality of the achieve umami Synergy. fermentation/cure greatly affects the taste of the finished 0008. There is a need or desire for a flavor-enhancing product. food additive made up of a blend of natural products that 0017. It has been discovered that blending selected types achieves umami Synergy. of fermented anchovy greatly improves the flavor enhance US 2004/O142090 A1 Jul. 22, 2004 ment function of anchovies in general, resulting in a more dardized product with consistent functionality, unlike barrel functional, cost-effective anchovy product which can be brine which varies considerably from drum to drum. Brine added to various foods, Such as Sauces or dressings, to varies from a thick, brown protein Soup to a thin, watery greatly enhance the flavors of Such foods. brine. While not considered a waste product like barrel brine, fish Sauce is still a low cost raw material that adds 0.018. Two types of fermented fish are blended together to little cost to the flavor enhancer of the invention. create the flavor enhancer of the invention. One type of fermented fish, in the form of fish Sauce, has a high free 0022 Specific varieties of regional Vietnamese fish sauce amino acid and high glutamate content and the other type of having a wide variety of free amino acids in relatively high fermented fish, in the form of anchovy paste, has a relatively concentrations are particularly Suitable for the flavor high content of nucleotides. These qualities are a result of enhancer of the invention. Such varieties of fish Sauce using different Species of anchovy and fermenting them in contain glutamate concentrations that are equal to or greater different ways. than the best barrel brine. 0.019 Fish sauce is a basic condiment, most popular in 0023. Unlike fish sauce which is essentially free of nucle the Far East. Rich in glutamate and other free amino acids, otides, anchovy paste is rich in nucleotides, namely inosine fish sauce not only adds flavor to foods but also adds monophosphate (IMP) and guanosine monophosphate nutrients without adding any fat. Fish Sauce is typically (GMP). The anchovy paste used to make the flavor enhancer classified by amino acid content. More specifically, fish of the invention is Suitably made from fish originating in Sauce generally ranges from about 10 degrees to about 48 Spain, Morocco, or South America, namely Argentina, degrees, with “degree' referring to the amount of nitrogen in Chile, or Peru. Anchovies that Swim in the cold waters off of grams/liter. The higher the degree, the more protein is these countries typically have a higher fat content and firmer present in the fish Sauce. The amount of protein, or amino flesh than their counterparts in Southeast Asia. acid content, generally controls the quality of the fish Sauce. 0024. Anchovy paste is made with a variety of anchovies Higher quality fish Sauce typically has a higher degree. The whose meat produces substantial IMP and GMP concentra fish Sauce used in the present invention is Suitably between tions when salt cured for a suitable duration. The IMP and about 15 and 48 degrees, or between about 30 and 48 GMP contributions increase with the duration of the fer degrees. If the fish Sauce has too little nitrogen in it, Such as mentation. Anchovy paste is made from Salt cured ancho 10 degree fish Sauce, it can reduce the quality of the Vies. In this process the anchovies are Salted, deheaded, and flavor-enhancer of the invention. placed into barrels or other containers. Weights are applied 0020 Fish sauce is generally made from anchovies. The to the tops of the containers to press the fish, and regulate the fish Sauce in the present invention is Suitably made of fish of curing process. The anchovies must be aged, or fermented, Southeast Asian origin. AS used herein, the term "origin” or for a sufficient duration of time, which allows naturally “originating” refers to the geographical area, or waters occurring enzymes to break down the protein. A typical Surrounding the geographical area, in which a fish was fermentation period may last between about 5 and about 18 caught. Anchovies that Swim in the warm waters off of months depending on the variety of anchovy and the tem Vietnam and Thailand, as well as other areas in Southeast perature of the local climate. The anchovies used to make the Asia, are typically Softer and Smaller than their colder water anchovy paste in the present invention are Suitably fer counterparts in South America, Spain and Morocco, for mented until the meat Separates easily from the skeleton of example. The amino acid composition of the flesh of ancho the fish. The barrel brine present during the curing process vies in Southeast Asia differs considerably from the com is typically discarded. The fish are ground to a paste like position of the flesh in colder water anchovy varieties. In consistency. Water and Salt may be added to Standardize the Southeast Asia, anchovies are generally caught by Scooping paste made from the ground fish flesh. a School of anchovies and any other marine life in the 0025 By blending the nucleotide-rich anchovy paste vicinity of the anchovies. Consequently, Southeast Asian with fish Sauce that is rich in glutamate and other free amino fish Sauce, or fish Sauce made from Southeast Asian fish, acids, a flavor-enhancing product with increased umami usually includes about 95 to about 98% anchovy with the expression and a rich full umami taste is produced. A remaining 2 to 5% made up of mackerel or various other Synergistic effect takes place in this blend, with the blend Small fish varieties and shrimp. having greater umami expression than either the anchovy paste or the fish Sauce measured alone. Furthermore, the 0021 Fish sauce is comparable to barrel brine that results unpleasant odor of fish Sauce is at least partially masked by in the production of anchovy paste fish, Since both products the anchovy paste. Anchovy paste fish have a significant fat have the Same essential ingredients of anchovies, Salt, and content. Oxidized fish fats and oils contribute to the unde water. However, fish sauce differs from barrel brine in Several ways. Comparing Southeast Asian fish Sauce to the Sirable fishy flavor in anchovy paste. Since the fish Sauce is barrel brine created during the production of anchovy paste, fat free, when fish Sauce and anchovy paste are combined, particularly anchovy paste made of anchovies originating in the fish Sauce reduces the fat content of the blend compared South America, Spain or Morocco, Vietnamese fish Sauce to the paste alone. The blend therefore has less oxidized fermentation yields more glutamate content in half the time fishy flavors than the paste alone and leSS unpleasant odor of the barrel brine from Argentina, Spain or Morocco. More than the fish Sauce alone, but greater umami expression. Specifically, Vietnamese fish Sauce fermentation generally 0026. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it appears takes about a year while barrel brine from anchovy paste that the combination of glutamate and nucleotides is respon made from fish originating in Argentina, Spain or Morocco Sible for the Synergistic flavor enhancement that results from would typically have to age about 1.5-2 years to achieve the combination of fish Sauce and anchovy paste. Fish Sauce Similar glutamate levels. Additionally, fish Sauce is a stan is Selected to have a glutamate level, which is greater than US 2004/O142090 A1 Jul. 22, 2004

or equal to the levels of glutamate found in cured anchovy the pH, thus improving shelf life characteristics, without paste fish. This Selection proceSS ensures that the glutamate increasing the perceived SourneSS of the product. levels in the finished product remain constant or increase in 0031 AS taught in Critical Reviews in Food Science and the blended product. Anchovy paste is composed of the Nutrition, Vol. 18, 1983, pages 231-312, incorporated herein ground flesh of cured anchovy paste fish that contain nucle by reference, J. A. Maga shows the individual taste thresh otides, which contribute to the flavor enhancer of the inven olds for various umami compounds, alone and in combina tion. One of the nucleotides, IMP, in particular, greatly tion with each other, can be determined and are Summarized amplifies the umami expression of the amino acids, as in Table 1. explained in an article entitled "An Amino-Acid Taste Receptor,” by Greg Nelson, et al., published in Nature, Vol. 416, 14 March 2002, herein incorporated by reference. Fish TABLE 1. Sauce has no nucleotides but does contain other free amino Umami compound taste thresholds acids besides glutamate, and free amino acids are umami Substances in themselves. Compound Taste threshold (%) MSG O.O12 0027. The percentages of each of the ingredients in the IMP O.O14 flavor-enhancing product may vary depending upon the food GMP O.OO35 to which the flavor enhancer will be applied. In general, the IMP - GMP O.OO63 flavor enhancer may include between about 5% and about IMP - GMP - MSG OOOOO31 95% by weight fish sauce and between about 5% and about 95% by weight anchovy paste. In one embodiment of the invention, half or more of the flavor enhancer may consist of 0032. As shown in Table 1, even though IMP alone has fish sauce, with between about 50% and about 95% by a threshold that is an order of magnitude higher than that for weight fish sauce and between about 5% and about 50% by GMP alone, when IMP and GMP are combined in equal weight anchovy paste. In another embodiment of the inven proportions the threshold is considerably less than either tion, half or more of the flavor enhancer may consist of IMP or GMP alone. Most astounding is the threshold of a anchovy paste, with between about 5% and about 50% by combination of equal portions of IMP, GMP, and MSG, weight fish sauce and between about 50% and about 95% by which is by far less than any IMP, GMP, or MSG alone. weight anchovy paste. Therefore, umami enhancement can be achieved with even very Small amounts of these elements when the elements are 0028. For example, aged cheese, which is typically in combination with one another. Analytical tests have included in Caesar Salad dressing, includes glutamate. The Verified that fish that taste more delicious contain more nucleotides in anchovy paste work with the glutamate in the umami compounds. aged cheese to enhance the umami expression. Therefore, a 0033. The flavor-enhancing product of the invention can flavor enhancer in accordance with the invention, when used be made by first procuring the fish Sauce made from South as an additive in Caesar Salad dressing, requires a higher east Asian anchovies and the anchovy paste made from percentage of anchovy paste than fish Sauce. AS another anchovies from Spain, Morocco, Argentina, Chile, or Peru. example, a flavor enhancer in accordance with the invention, Alternatively, naturally fermented anchovy products of when used as an additive to foods that include nucleotide another form or originating from other areas around the containing mushrooms, generally requires a higher percent World may be analyzed to determine whether appropriate age of fish Sauce than anchovy paste. umami compounds are present, namely the same umami 0029. Another consideration that must be taken into compounds present in Southeast Asian fish Sauce and Span account when determining the amount of each ingredient to ish, Moroccan, or South American anchovy paste, as include in the flavor enhancer is the desired flow character described herein. istics of the resulting product. A blend including a higher 0034 Quantitative analytical tests have been developed percentage of fish Sauce may be poured from a container, to prove the existence of MSG, IMP, GMP and other free Such as a bottle, jug, or drum, but a blend including a higher amino acids in anchovy products. Using chromatographic percentage of anchovy paste might instead be spooned from analysis, it has been found that cured anchovy paste fish a jar, pail or Squeezed from a foil-laminated bag within a contain a significant amount of the nucleotides IMP and box. One example of a flavor enhancer of the invention GMP. More specifically, the anchovy paste used to form the having Such a consistency includes 11.5% fish Sauce and flavor enhancer of the invention should have at least 3.0 88.5% anchovy paste and can be easily Squeezed from a foil milligrams/gram (0.30%) IMP and at least 0.05 mg/g bag. (0.005%) GMP. Also, the fish sauce used to form the flavor enhancer of the invention should have at least 1.0% 0.030. Overall umami functionality is directly related to glutamate. the concentration of individual umami compounds. The expression of a rich, full umami taste is a function of the 0035) The fish sauce may either be blended into the composition of the different umami Substances. Since the anchovy paste, or the anchovy paste may be blended into the blended product contains MSG, nucleotides, and a wide fish Sauce, at a ratio Suitable to achieve a desired consis variety of free amino acids, it provides Superior rendering of tency, taking into account the intended application of the the preferred rich, full umami taste as compared to either fish finished product and thereby adjusting the ratio if necessary Sauce or anchovy paste. Because umami reduces perceived to achieve heightened umami expression in the blended SourneSS, it may be particularly beneficial to elevate the product. umami in acidified foods Such as Salad dressings and 0036 While in the foregoing specification this invention tomato-based pasta Sauces. This Strategy allows lowering has been described in relation to certain preferred embodi US 2004/O142090 A1 Jul. 22, 2004

ments thereof, and many details have been set forth for 13. A flavor-enhancing product, consisting essentially of: purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodi between about 5% and about 95% by weight fish sauce ments and that certain of the details described herein can be having between about 15 and about 48 degrees nitrogen varied considerably without departing from the basic prin and made from fish originating from Southeast Asia; ciples of the invention. and between about 5% and about 95% by weight anchovy What is claimed is: paste made from fish originating from at least one of the 1. A flavor-enhancing product, consisting essentially of group consisting of Spain, Morocco, Argentina, Chile, fish Sauce blended with anchovy paste. and Peru, which have been fermented for at least 5 2. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, comprising months. between about 5% and about 95% by weight fish sauce and 14. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 13, comprising between about 5% and about 95% by weight anchovy paste. between about 50% and about 95% by weight fish sauce and 3. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, comprising between about 5% and about 50% by weight anchovy paste. between about 50% and about 95% by weight fish sauce and 15. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 13, comprising between about 5% and about 50% by weight anchovy paste. between about 5% and about 50% by weight fish sauce and 4. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, comprising between about 50% and about 95% by weight anchovy between about 5% and about 50% by weight fish sauce and paste. between about 50% and about 95% by weight anchovy 16. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 13, wherein the paste. fish sauce has between about 30 and about 48 degrees 5. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, wherein the nitrogen. fish sauce is between about 15 and about 48 degrees nitro 17. A method of making a flavor-enhancing product, gen. comprising the Steps of: 6. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, wherein the fish sauce is between about 30 and about 48 degrees nitro providing fish Sauce; gen. providing anchovy paste; and 7. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, wherein the blending the fish Sauce and the anchovy paste together to fish Sauce comprises at least 0.8% glutamate. form the flavor-enhancing product. 8. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, wherein the 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the blend of fish fish Sauce is made from fish of Southeast Asian origin. Sauce and anchovy paste comprises between about 5% and 9. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, wherein the about 95% by weight fish sauce and between about 5% and anchovy paste has been fermented for at least 5 months. about 95% by weight anchovy paste. 10. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, wherein the 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step anchovy paste comprises at least 0.30% IMP. of procuring the fish Sauce made from Southeast Asian fish. 11. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, wherein the 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step anchovy paste comprises at least 0.005% GMP. of procuring the anchovy paste made from fish from at least 12. The flavor-enhancing product of claim 1, wherein the one of the group consisting of Spain, Morocco, Argentina, anchovy paste is made from fish originating from at least one Chile, and Peru. of the group consisting of Spain, Morocco, Argentina, Chile, and Peru.