Sokol’s anchovy ingredients tap into demand for umami flavors while slashing sodium

01 Jul 2022 --- Sokol Custom Food Ingredients has unveiled a Certified Savory product line of Anchovy Products, which delivers the meaty and savory taste of umami. The move comes at a time when sodium reduction targets are in the spotlight globally and consumers are eating more mindfully.

Consumers today are seeking out products full of flavor and Sokol Anchovy Products can offer a good alternative to boost flavor without high levels of sodium, the company highlights. 

According to Innova Market Insights, two in five consumers globally say they have decreased their sodium/salt intake in the past 12 months. As such, the food industry launches of cooking solutions for reducing sodium content continues to grow more prevalent.

Umami spotlighted
Umami is a term used to describe the unmistakable delicious and meaty, mouthwateringly brothy taste of glutamates and nucleotides. It earned its status as a scientifically recognized taste sense in 1985, though Kikunae Ikeda first coined the term umami in 1903. 

Sokol’s Certified Savory Anchovy Products are cured for one year to develop an excellent amino acid profile that provides a rich umami taste.“Umami has been trending with consumers for a while now with no sign of slowing down,” says Shannon Pimmel, marketing manager. 

“Kroger and the Food Institute have named umami as a trending profile for 2022. While the most classic example of anchovy applications is a Caesar salad dressing, these products can be used for numerous applications where umami is desired.”

“We are also seeing increases in anchovies being used in home cooking, which in turn increases the demand for the flavor profile in food manufacturing,” she details. 

Sokol’s Certified Savory Anchovy Products are cured for one year to develop an excellent amino acid profile that provides a rich umami taste.

The new product line includes a fish sauce, used as the main flavoring in Southeast Asian foods. Nam Pla and Nuoc Mam are commonly used in dipping sauces, appetizers, soups and entrees. 

The line also comprises an anchovy paste, commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine and a significant component of the Caesar flavor profile. Anchovies used in Certified Savory anchovy products are cured for six months or more and have been selected for their savory qualities and minimal fishiness.

Lastly, Sokol’s anchovy powder is introduced as ideal for dry seasoning applications where anchovy is required. This product is freeze-dried fish sauce and has a good paste-like flavor rendering. It offers all the umami taste of fish sauce without the volatile flavor and odor components.

“Sourcing the raw material is paramount in supplying the highest quality finished Anchovy Products that are delivered on time and without interruption,” continues Pimmel. “We have been supplying this product commercially for over 60 years. Our work also includes a rarely issued patent for our formulations and flavor enhancement.”

“Our experience in this category has also taught us that consumers like the savory, umami qualities of fermented fish but don’t like the aromatic fishiness that sometimes comes with the product,” she adds. 

“Our Anchovy Products provide that memorable umami taste, without the fishiness because we have developed analytical tests that allow us to quantify the key umami compounds accurately.”

“We carefully select only the finest fermented materials identified by those tests for further processing. Our oxygen barrier packaging prevents the formation of post-processing, oxidized fishy flavors in our Certified Savory Anchovy Products,” Pimmel concludes. 

Sodium reduction ever-prevalent
Calls to cut back on sodium have implicated even the plant-based category, widely considered as healthier. Last November, FoodIngredientsFirst reported that the salt content of plant-based meat alternatives was “excessive.”

Meanwhile, new government health policies and regulations continue to compel companies to seek salt reduction solutions. 

In other developments, Sokol unveiled a line of better-for-you citrus-based sauces and dressings, earlier this year.

Edited by Elizabeth Green