Flavors make mundane foods great. Food ingredient supplier Bell Chem’s extensive inventory of flavor enhancers can give any meal the panache of a gourmet affair. We have compiled a list of 5 of our most common flavor enhancers so your meals can bring a smile to every customer’s face.

Monosodium glutamate

Created over 100 years ago, monosodium glutamate was almost lost to history after chemist Kikunae Ikeda determined kelp held a flavor often associated with “savory.” The chemical was L-glutamate, and when combined with sodium, it formed what the Japanese refer to as umai, or “delicious.” Anglicized, this becomes umami, the latest recognized taste our tongue’s sensors can perceive: savory. We no longer rely on kelp, but instead simple starches, to create MSG. When MSG is sprinkled on foods, consumers tend to use it much more sparingly than salt. This leads to a threefold decrease in the amount of sodium ingested along with a satisfying flavor. How can you beat a flavor known as “delicious”? 

Honey

When it comes to flavor, honey has a bunch – literally. When bees collect nectar from certain flowers, their honey takes on the specific flavor profile of that nectar. Much like a fine wine, discriminating gourmets can detect specific bouquets within a serving of honey. Honey is sweeter than table sugar and can generally be used in a 2:1 ratio, or for every 2 cups of sugar, add 1 cup of honey instead. Even with less product in recipes, honey not only adds a distinct flavor; it enhances the flavors of other ingredients. As it flavors foods, honey can also extend shelf life and stabilize liquid products, such as salad dressings, with its increased viscosity.

Citric acid 

Citric acid’s flavor is tart, refreshing, and acidic, although most people simply recognize it as “citrus.” Originally derived from lemon peels, citric acid does more than add flavor – it adds to the existing flavors of a food or beverage. Many chefs and manufacturers add citric acid to beverages to offset the sweet ingredients.

Corn syrup

As opposed to high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup is not quite as sweet as table sugar since the level of fructose has not been mechanically elevated. Corn syrup is often used as a liquid sweetener in candies, jams, and cakes. Corn syrup is pure glucose with no other saccharides present. Marshmallows, pecan pie, and peanut brittle would not be the same without the addition of corn syrup, which gives texture and a complex mouthfeel to products.

Salt (Sodium Chloride)

Another of our tongue’s specific tastes is salty. It has been proven sodium chloride stimulates the taste buds more than other salts, such as potassium chloride. Our bodies are designed for salt. In small concentrations, salt stimulates other tastes and flavors, such as sweet, by suppressing bitter tastes. A little salt is added to most cookie or cake recipes for this reason. However, more robust flavors, such as umami, require larger doses of salt to alter their taste profiles, which is why manufacturers often add more salt to savory foods as opposed to sweet foods. Salt balances and concentrates the flavors of foods and beverages.

Bell Chem is based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.