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Over half* (51%) of European consumers intend to improve their diet by eating healthier
After the indulgence of the festive period, the new year is often seen by consumers as a time to reset and realign; eat more mindfully, prioritise wellbeing, and choose products that support healthier routines. For food and drink manufacturers, this presents both challenge and opportunity.
Many consumers express distrust in the food system: only around 45%** trust that the food they eat is healthy, sustainable, and authentic. The market is crowded with “healthier” options, but shoppers are increasingly selective in their hunt for products that deliver both health benefits and the taste experiences they crave.
With this in mind, Daria Pashkova, Marketing Manager at Ohly, who are experts in yeast-based ingredients for sodium reduction, explains how these umami-rich solutions have become a game-changing tool for developers who want to take advantage of the January ‘reset’ period.
How umami can help improve ‘better-for-you’ formulations
Yeast extracts are a natural source of umami, which helps to deliver depth, roundness, and lingering savoury impact, allowing developers to:
Reduce sodium (without reducing flavour)
While salt delivers impact, umami solutions can compensate for reduced sodium formulations by elevating flavours and masking off notes of salt substitutes. In applications such as soups, cooking sauces, and condiments, umami can help to bring upfront salinity lost during sodium reduction, with no major flavour profile changes.
Create richness in plant-based formulations
Plant-based options are a key driver of January’s healthy eating trends; however, many products lack the depth of flavour or taste complexity. Umami-rich ingredients can help to supply the savoury resonance needed to create more satisfying plant-based meals.
Maintain product satisfaction within calorie-conscious categories
A leaner recipe often means reduced salt and/or fat content, which can impact both mouthfeel and flavour behaviour. Umami components help to fill these sensory gaps by delivering satisfying savouriness that supports consumer satiety and taste expectations.
Daria Pashkova, Marketing Manager at Ohly, says:
“Health-positioned products can often taste thin, watery, or flat, and this results in products quickly losing traction and failing to secure repeat purchases. The challenge for R&D teams is to elevate flavour naturally – without returning sodium to the formulation.
Umami is much more than just a flavour trend; it is a functional tool for modern product development. When better-for-you products deliver real flavour satisfaction, consumers are more likely to maintain their healthy routines beyond January.
For manufacturers, this means a higher potential of repeat purchases, and a stronger differentiation in a crowded market of ‘healthier choice’ categories.”
https://www.ohly.com/en/food/taste-improvement/salt-reduction
**https://www.eitfood.eu/reports/trust-report-2024
