Kokumi, a term from Japan, can be interpreted as “rich taste” or “delicious,” depending on one’s perspective. While some regard it as the sixth taste, its role as a flavor enhancer is even more significant—it adds craveability. “It’s a taste sensation,” explained Nicole Warren to Food Dive. As the PR and marketing supervisor for Ajinomoto, the Japanese flavor company that first identified kokumi compounds in the 1980s, she noted, “It creates this roundness you never knew you wanted unless you tasted it.”
Primarily associated with Japanese cuisine, kokumi is naturally found in fermented foods like alcohol, soy sauce, fish sauces, and shrimp paste. Ajinomoto Co. has isolated and concentrated these compounds at the protein level into a powder that can be added to both fresh and packaged foods to enhance flavor perception. Despite its distinct effects, kokumi remains somewhat elusive in definition. Scientists have struggled to pinpoint it as a taste component since it is not linked to a single molecule. Instead, it is activated by glutamyl peptides that naturally occur in fermented foods and can also be found in Western foods such as beer, bread, and chicken soup.
Although often associated with taste, kokumi is more akin to a texture enhancer. It can amplify the mouth-coating sensation from fat-containing ingredients, such as dairy emulsions, and increase the roundness of flavors, similar to the effect of salt. It also enhances sweetness in reduced-sugar products. The rich mouthfeel attributed to kokumi arises from heightened activation of the tongue’s calcium receptors, leading to an amplified signal to the brain from the taste buds. This makes mushrooms taste earthier, chicken richer, beef meatier, and broths more complex. Warren emphasized that kokumi makes foods seem more present in the mouth and balanced in flavor while prolonging their presence on the palate.
Laura Kliman, a senior flavor scientist at Impossible Foods, suggested there might be an evolutionary basis for this, as kokumi peptides are present in protein-rich foods. “The only way you can form these peptides is from the breakdown of protein,” she noted. Despite its impressive profile, kokumi is just beginning to gain traction in the food industry. “It’s of interest to many food manufacturers as they explore innovation and new flavors,” Corey Chafin, a principal at A.T. Kearney’s consumer industries and retail division, remarked to Food Dive. “However, it remains in its infancy and is more of a concept than a tangible product at this point.”
Nonetheless, kokumi is generating excitement. Mintel’s 2018 U.S. Flavor Trends study identified it as a key up-and-coming flavor. The report noted its advantageous position, suggesting that flavor innovation will increasingly focus on enhancing chemistry, as companies aim to create healthy dishes without sacrificing taste. With the rise of clean labels and ethnic cuisines, kokumi has a vast culinary landscape to explore.
Chafin explained that there are two primary applications for kokumi: one is its potential in diet foods, creating richness in low-fat options or salty sensations in low-sodium products. The other is its novelty factor. Chef Anthony Todaro from RC Fine Foods, which produces its own kokumi powder derived from pulverized fermented soybeans and maltodextrin, highlighted kokumi’s unique ability to reduce the sodium and sugar needed in recipes. “I could see it being used in a cake mix. Why not put it in there?” he mused.
He shared an experiment with a beverage, stating, “I was putting it into Diet Coke, and it really muted that aspartame flavor while enhancing the caramel and vanilla notes.” He described his chocolate kokumi mousse, emphasizing how the powder enhances flavors and creates a more balanced profile with less sugar. Additionally, he noted that kokumi adds a second layer to the mousse, as it effectively stretches dairy notes across the flavor spectrum, boosting creaminess.
Chafin mentioned that restaurants and food scientists are particularly interested in this Eastern taste sensation. Among them is Koku Café in Seattle, where owner Kurt Schewe has been captivated by kokumi’s ability to provide a “satisfying feel” to food. Instead of limiting himself to traditional kokumi-rich ingredients like bourbon barrel-aged fish sauce and fermented rice dressing (shio koji), Schewe experiments by incorporating foods that trigger this sensation into dishes lacking natural richness. He enhances buttermilk biscuits with miso and black garlic compound butters, creating a luxurious buttery flavor that lingers. He also infuses amazake, or sweet sake, into lattes to deepen the coffee’s roasted chocolate notes against the enhanced creaminess of the milk for a taste of subtle drama.
While Schewe aims to highlight the texture and mouthfeel that kokumi provides, he believes that discovering the sensation in naturally occurring foods represents a more authentic expression of kokumi than simply adding it as an isolated peptide powder. “I don’t really think of it as applying kokumi to a recipe. I think of it as extracting kokumi from certain foods,” he explained. However, he expressed curiosity about trying isolated kokumi compounds to see their effects on his dishes.
Chafin noted that just as it took umami 94 years from its discovery in 1908 to be recognized as the fifth taste, it will take time for kokumi to gain similar demand and recognition. Ajinomoto Co. first isolated kokumi as a flavor-enhancing ingredient in the 1980s, similar to how they isolated MSG to introduce umami into dishes. Since then, other companies have begun to offer kokumi as an ingredient. Nikken Foods has launched Komi, and RC Fine Foods offers Umami Sensations Kokumi Powder. Ajinomoto focused on isolating the kokumi peptides to create a tasteless powder that enhances mouthfeel.
However, Chafin cautioned that kokumi may risk developing a negative reputation similar to MSG due to its powdered form and close association with umami’s flavor-enhancing properties, despite both being safe for consumption. Consumer education will be essential for the acceptance of this new sensory ingredient. Kliman has also observed resistance to isolated kokumi, expressing frustration at the negative perceptions of ingredients like MSG and kokumi, which are derived in a lab. “These compounds exist naturally in food. It’s about isolating them and putting them in higher concentrations,” she clarified.
Despite extensive research, Impossible Foods has opted not to incorporate kokumi into its products, as the company primarily uses heme to replicate meat flavor. Nevertheless, Kliman acknowledges the benefits of adding kokumi to foods that require enhanced mouthfeel and taste. Warren noted that many other consumer packaged goods companies are starting to incorporate kokumi into their products. “Our specific yeast extract formulated for the kokumi sensation is found in some of the plant-based patties on the market,” she shared.
Snacks are another area where kokumi can shine, as it provides an immediate burst of flavor on the tongue while balancing all the taste elements. Lori Hamilton, senior director of business development at Nikken Foods, reported an increase in demand for their kokumi product, driven by consumers seeking better flavors and cleaner labels while remaining open to novel ingredients.
While there is growing interest in this Japanese flavor-enhancing phenomenon, kokumi is still a long way from becoming mainstream. “As far as I know, there are no mass-produced, nationally available products featuring kokumi,” Chafin stated. “I believe this will be on the horizon for several years.” Both Warren and Kliman confirmed that further research is still needed to fully explore this sensation. However, once the art of kokumi is perfected, it is likely to make a significant impact in the market. After all, as Kliman noted, “People are always looking for more delicious food.”
Incorporating the use of calcium citrate could further enhance the potential of kokumi in culinary applications, as it may work synergistically with kokumi compounds to amplify the sensory experience. As the food industry evolves, the exploration of such ingredients could unlock even more avenues for creating rich and satisfying flavors.