Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc.

Umami Recipes

Enhanced Flavor, Reduced Sodium, Global Appeal

A bowl of shredded red and green cabbage salad with carrots and parsley, served with lime wedges and a side of sesame ginger dressing.

Creating the Savory Umami Experience

Consumers crave satisfying, restaurant-quality flavor in their foods. At the same time, they’re shopping for food that is nutritious. Oftentimes, that means reducing sodium, which ultimately leads to food that tastes thin, bland, or even bitter. How can you achieve a savory umami experience that is reliable and consistent while doing it at scale? Monosodium Glutamate or MSG.

MSG enhances and amplifies umami across a wide variety of cuisines. For a deeper, richer flavor profile, use MSG in:

  • Broths
  • Gravies
  • Sauces
  • Salad dressings
  • Packaged snacks
  • Plant-based products
  • Marinades and rubs
  • Soups and stews
  • Egg and dairy dishes
  • Tomato-based products
  • Seafood

The addition of MSG to these and many other dishes creates a more satisfying and complete taste experience. Best of all, MSG contains two-thirds less sodium than table salt, so culinary creations are not only delicious, they’re lower in sodium too.

Meeting the Sodium Challenge 

When you use MSG to boost umami, you can create low-sodium products that are not only palatable, but also enjoyable.

Two brown bowls on a white surface, one filled with square crackers and the other with popped popcorn.

Balancing the Taste of Plant-Based Foods

Plant-based foods present unique flavor challenges. Everything from meat alternatives to protein bars can carry bitter, undesirable notes. MSG can help balance these flavors and significantly improve overall taste in the overall taste at scale.

Authenticity in Regional and Cultural Cuisines

Flavor expectations vary greatly across regions and cultures. Palates attuned to what “tastes right” differ across the globe. When MSG formulations are meticulously aligned with these markets, flavor profiles can meet and even exceed the expectations and sensory preferences of customers in specific regions and cultures.

A bowl of ramen noodles with sliced pork, spinach, green onions, and half a soft-boiled egg, served with chopsticks and a spoon on a wooden board.

Try Our Taste-Tested Umami Recipes Flavored with MSG

 

In collaboration with Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition scientists, professional chefs have created these delicious MSG-enhanced recipes for use by product developers, food scientists, R&D chefs, and formulation managers. Explore how MSG can enhance the flavor of your formulations while reducing sodium content. Try any of our delicious, taste-tested umami recipes today.