Key Interview: Scelta Mushrooms Targets Sodium Reduction With the Natural Power of Umami

02 May 2017 --- Sodium reduction is high on the agenda for many food manufacturers globally. In response to industry trends, Scelta Mushrooms are continuously developing their Scelta Taste Accelerator line which they believe has the answer to aiding the food industry in the quest to lower sodium intake without losing taste through the natural power of umami.

FoodIngredientsFirst recently spoke with Jan Klerken Junior, who has been with the family-run company for almost ten years. “Our Scelta Taste Accelerator line is something that we are fiercely promoting,” he explains. “We are continuously looking for market opportunities in this area, and we try to narrow it down more and more into specific sectors, one of which is the snacking category and the other is savory in general, such as soups and sauces. At Scelta, we are trying to really focus on and try and create new products for our final customers by finding the right solutions for them.”

“The European market is a key focus area for us currently but we are also looking to pursue areas outside of Europe and to break those markets there, too,” he notes. “The entire world is screaming for clean label solutions at this moment in time and I do believe that our Scelta Taste Accelerator line appeals to these needs.”

“Our umami extracts are a rich source of glutamate, which is obviously very well known within the industry as the perfect taste enhancer,” Klerken Junior explains. “Glutamate occurs naturally in mushrooms, so we try to capture all these elements together with the rest of the matrix, and find a solution to add to that umami flavor, which can decrease the sodium impact, but which overall gives a higher taste accessibility to the end consumer and that is exactly what we are targeting.”

Scelta are undergoing further research in this area and exploring the possibilities of using mushrooms as a taste enhancer in final products. Sodium reduction is important and according to Klerken Junior it can be achieved through getting a higher taste accessibility. Furthermore, Umami flavor compounds, which are naturally present in mushrooms have the ability to improve the palatability and increase perceived saltiness. It makes Scelta Mushrooms’ line of umami-rich extracts a powerful, natural alternative to MSG/I+G/AYE, but also sodium reduction tool. Sodium reductions of up to 50% have been achieved, without compromising taste and function and without the use of potassium. Klerken Junior adds: “These sodium reductions have been achieved through a blend of ingredients, some other items that work better on a functional level. STA for bread, for example, allows for significant sodium reduction while maintaining the function (rise, crumb structure and gluten matrix formation) and taste profile of salt in baked goods. Typically what we are seeing is that the consumer or the producer doesn’t want to take high steps at first and work on reduction levels anywhere between 25 and 35 percent.”

The range of categories for Scelta using Scelta Taste Accelerator ranges from processed meats to snacking products, bakery to soups, sauces, and more recently there are even opportunities in the confectionery segments. “Depending on the matrix of the product, innovation in confectionery is something that we have the ability to look into but it’s also very challenging because we are still learning how to deal with it. There is progress being made in that area but it’s still early days,” he states. Savory applications are where we are most advanced, because we know exactly what to expect – confectionery is still a fairly new area for us.”

Klerken Junior commented further: “People are discovering mushroom extracts more and more, if you look at the industry, only a couple of years back, mushroom extracts were only used for having a flavor impact in mushroom soups and sauces. Nowadays, it definitely goes further than that. Although created on the basis of mushrooms, with Scelta Taste Accelerator we have succeeded to reduce the distinct mushroom flavor from these extracts, without using chemical processes. The product can be declared as natural aroma and can be used for its taste enhancing characteristics in many different savory solutions.”
 
There are plenty of opportunities in various application categories and Scelta Taste Accelerator is a versatile ingredient – this is evident in product development globally over the last few years.

Another area that Scelta see significant growth is the supplements and nutraceutical sectors. Again, it is something that is fairly new for the company, in terms of product development, but according to Klerken Junior, there has been a lot of research in that area and some indication that rebranding is on the horizon. He says: “We have a commercial product available at the moment and there are discussions around expanding the range of products with more application formats: not only simple pills but to also look into different types of delivery models and on the other hand, to look closely at the variety of mushrooms that can have a more beneficial impact for consumers.”

“For the supplements and nutraceuticals, we are sourcing only one type of mushroom which is the agaricus blazei murill mushroom, however, we are looking to expand that range slowly, steadily and at least grow the range by up to 12 to 15 more species. We are currently working with multiple universities to research the benefits of different species of mushrooms, including tropical mushrooms,” he confirms. 

It’s not only food research that Scelta see as a priority. Research into the health benefits of mushrooms is something that is increasingly on the agenda for the company. “Something that has recently come to our attention and that we have been doing a lot of research into is the Vitamin D content of mushrooms and those extracts as well,” he says. “The entire world is Vitamin D deficient, and if you look at those concentrates there are huge opportunities to increase the levels of Vitamin D from a natural source that your body can reap the benefits from.”

Which category has most growth potential for mushrooms concentrates? “I believe products with added Vitamin D, for us,” notes Klerken Junior. “As soon as we have these available I think it will most likely be products that are consumed on a regular basis – such a bakery, but even also ready meals, and those kind of categories, because people who don’t have the time or knowledge can really benefit from mushrooms extracts as an ingredient, and we can target these consumers to become more healthy.” 

Klerken Junior continues: “We are now looking at mushrooms, not only as a salt and flavor enhancer but also with added health benefits too. We believe, of course, that taste is very important chapter in the food base, and of course you see that from the industry as well.”

“If you look at all the new flavors coming out, every single ingredient manufacture has huge diversity in that compared to a couple of years ago. For Scelta, we are eyeing trends that are likely to be the top trends two years from now, we have forward thinking way of working.”

“Looking into the future we believe Personalized Nutrition is going to be one of the major trends in the market,” he finalizes, “With mushrooms extracts and concentrates you can add functional benefits to consumer products in this category that are certainly valuable to the end consumer.”

by Elizabeth Green