Yeast Extract as a Potential Salt Substitute

Demand for convenience foods has increased as consumer lifestyles become busier and more hectic, and they increasingly seek for a quick and easy meal replacement¹³. According to a survey conducted by Innova Market Insight (2020), over one in four consumers preferred to eat snacks instead of full meals². This has eventually raised the demand for snacking products that are rich in protein and packed with flavour⁶.

The global meat snack market value in the retail sector was estimated at over €13 billion in 2022 and the forecast shows that that number will rise to €15 billion in 2024 (Figure 1)⁶. Meat snacks are a type of convenient food product that is processed from different animal sources such as beef and turkey. They are available in ready-to-eat formats such as jerky, stick, sausage, and bars⁹. Meat snacks are also an excellent source of protein and other nutrients such as minerals and vitamins⁶. According to an online survey conducted by Alarcón-García et al. (2021)¹, it showed that consumers opt for meat snacks due to their high protein content. Another factor that meat snacks have to offer is their small and innovative on-the-go or easy-to-carry packages, making them convenient and easy to eat⁵.

Cutting Back on Salt Intake

Salt is the most commonly added ingredient in processed meat because it is beneficial for enhancing the quality of the products². Salt contains high amounts of sodium² which is essential for the maintenance of cellular membranes and the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine⁸. Furthermore, it maintains a proper water balance in our body by constantly adjusting the fluid and blood levels⁸. However, excessive sodium intake poses a significant risk to human health such as high blood pressure which is associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke². 

The World Health Organization recommends a sodium intake of 2 g/day (Na) equivalent to 5 g/day of salt (NaCl) as a safe and adequate dose for the adult and children population¹².

Since snacking is becoming a more personalised dietary trend, consumers have a variety of attitudes and goals, ranging from wellness and health concerns⁴. Thereby, the general concern pertaining to sodium intake has led to the development of methods by manufacturers to reduce the amount of salt added to meat products¹⁰.

The Savoury Side of Yeast

Flavour enhancers have been used for close to a century to substitute salt fully or partially in meat products². One that can effectively substitute the beneficial effects of salt and enhance the savoury taste is yeast extract¹¹. Yeast extract is a natural ingredient derived from the digestion of yeast cells or known as the natural source of volatile compounds that serves as precursors to a compound formation. Hence, it provides pleasurable tastes and aromas in meat products³.

Incorporation of yeast extract into a formulation can also rebuild the savoury flavour through amino acids which contribute to the umami flavour and allows a consumer to experience a positive reaction and perception of the product taste, without the need of adding more salt⁷.

Studies also supported that yeast extract extends the perception of salty taste and can reduce the sodium content in the final product by 40%¹¹ and give acceptable sensory qualities in terms of aroma, taste, and texture³.

Conclusion

Natural ingredients are now highly sought after due to their health benefits². Therefore, identifying natural ingredients as a salt substitute can reduce high amounts of salt in the formulation, and thereby support a balanced diet and health. At DPO International, we are honoured to be in partnership with Halcyon Proteins to bring you a range of ingredient choices that will elevate the quality of your meat products.

References

¹Alarcón-García, M. A., Perez-Alvarez, J. A., López-Vargas, J. H., Pagán-Moreno, M. J. (2021). Meat Snacks Consumption: Aspects That the Consumer Looks for to Consider Them a Healthy Food. Proceedings, 70 (1), 82. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods_2020-07738

²Aprilia, G. H. S., & Kim, H. S. (2022). Development of strategies to manufacture low-salt meat products – a review. Journal of Animal Science and Technology, 64(2), 218-234. https://doi.org/10.5187/jast.2022.e16

³Campagnol, P. C. B., dos Santos, B. A., Wagner, R., Terra, N. N., & Pollonio, M. A. R. (2011). The effect of yeast extract addition on quality of fermented sausages at low NaCl content. Meat Science, 87(3), 290–298.

⁴Cargill. (2021). Snacking Shifts: Seismic Movements in the Snack Category. Insight Report.

⁵Coherent Market Insights. (2022). Meat Snacks Market, By Meat (Chicken, Beef, Seafood, Others), By Products type (Jerky, Ham Sausages, Meat Sticks, Others), By Flavor (Peppered, Original, Teriyaki, Others), and By Distribution Channels (Convenience Stores, Hypermarket, Supermarket, Others) – Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2022-2028. Industry Report.

⁶Essentia. (2021). Meat snack trend gains momentum. Retrieved from Meat snack trend gains momentum (essentiaproteins.com)

⁷Food Processing. (2021). Who Needs Salt? Retrieved from https://www.foodprocessing.com/product-development/rd/article/11361529/who-needs-salt

⁸Kloss, L., Meyer, J. D., Graeve, L., & Vetter, W. (2015). Sodium intake and its reduction by food reformulation in the European Union — A review. NFS Journal, 1, 9-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nfs.2015.03.001

⁹Mordor Intelligence. (2021). Meat Snacks Market – Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, And Forecasts (2022 – 2027). Industry Report.

¹⁰Pietrasik, Z., & Gaudette, N. J. (2014). The impact of salt replacers and flavor enhancer on the processing characteristics and consumer acceptance of restructured cooked hams. Meat Science, 96(3), 1165e1170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.11.005

¹¹Rodrigues, F. M., Rosenthal, A., Tiburski, J. H., & Cruz, A. G. da. (2015). Alternatives to reduce sodium in processed foods and the potential of high pressure technology. Food Science and Technology, 36(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-457x.6833

¹²WHO. (2012). Guideline sodium intake for adults and children sodium intake for adults and children. Geneva: World Health Organisation. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/77985/9789241504836_eng.pdf

¹³Zdanowska-Sąsiadek, Ż., Marchewka, J., Horbańczuk, J. O., Wierzbicka, A., Lipińska, P., Jóźwik, A., Atanasov, A. G., Huminiecki, Ł., Sieroń, A., Sieroń, K., Strzałkowska, N., Stelmasiak, A., De Smet, S., Van Hecke, T., & Hoffman, L. C. (2018). Nutrients Composition in Fit Snacks Made from Ostrich, Beef and Chicken Dried Meat. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 23(6), 1267. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23061267