Koku Sensation and Kokumi Substance: New Opportunities to Increase Palatability in Plant-Based Products

Abstract

Food production needs to increase by 70% to meet the rising demand, but this puts a strain on food quality standards. Continuing to produce food in the same way would require more than one planet to sustain the demand, which is not feasible. Another problem is food waste; one-third of human food production is wasted globally every year, and only a small percentage is used for animal feed or other purposes. Therefore, drastic changes must be made to the global food production systems and our eating habits. Researchers have suggested a planetary diet that involves increasing the consumption of vegetables and fruits while reducing the intake of red meat. The goal is to accelerate the shift towards a greener lifestyle without compromising taste. It is suggested that koku sensation and kokumi substance can be effective tools for developing healthy and sustainable food by enhancing the taste of plant-based products. Research shows that fermentation is a promising method for improving the desirable qualities of plant-based foods by increasing the presence of kokumi peptides and various aroma compounds during the transformation process of raw materials, such as cereal by-products. This field of study holds the potential to increase consumer preference for plant-based diets by reducing unpleasant tastes, such as bitterness. Information © The Author 2024