In our previous articles we wrote about the concept of clean labeling, which originally meant that manufacturers bring a cleaner and therefore healthier product to the market by producing a food with only the necessary and sufficient number of ingredients.
One such substance is a flavor enhancer, because foods that have an appropriate, typical taste without flavor enhancers convey to the average consumer that a) they must obviously be made from higher quality ingredients and b) contain a sufficient amount of the ingredient (e.g. meat) that determines the taste of the product.
1) Glutamate and yeast extract
Glutamate used to be a flavor enhancer in many foods, but today it is almost completely abandoned by manufacturers and replaced by yeast extract, which also has a flavor-enhancing effect.
2) Origin of yeast extract
Yeast extract sounds natural, but consumers are still “suspicious” that it is a product of synthetic origin.
Just to reassure you: yeast extract is actually made from yeast extracted from baker’s or brewer’s yeast and consists of the soluble components of the yeast cells. The yeast’s own enzymes leach the proteins out of the yeast and partially dissolve the cell wall of the yeast cells.
The resulting cell juice is concentrated – the excess water is evaporated – and the yeast extract remains: either as a brown paste or as a yellowish-brown powder.
In fact, yeast extract has been used by the food industry as an ingredient in various foods for over 75 years.
3) What does yeast extract taste like and what does it contain?
While yeast has a rather neutral taste, yeast extract has a spicy taste, similar to a strong broth – which is why it is used in foods such as sauces, soups and meat dishes.
The so-called glutamic acid contained in yeast extract also occurs naturally in protein-rich foods, e.g. in relatively high concentrations in Parmesan cheese, tomatoes or fish.
Pure yeast extract contains about 65% protein as well as amino acids, vitamins and minerals – so it is a food in itself.
Yeast extract is also consumed “pure” as a bread topping in many countries, e.g. in the UK, but also in Australia.
4) Is yeast extract actually the same as glutamate?
Glutamate is the salt of glutamic acid. Glutamate has recently been associated with Chinese restaurants and is known to have an appetite-stimulating effect.
What is certain is that glutamate is artificially produced, and that even genetically modified ingredients can be used to produce it.
Yeast extract is different from the isolated flavor enhancer glutamate: it contains about 5-12% glutamic acid, many other amino acids and is relatively rich in vitamin B and some minerals. Unlike glutamate, the extract is not a food additive on paper (although it can be added to foods) and therefore does not have to be labeled as a flavor enhancer by law – although it does perform this function.
5) What are the health effects of yeast extract?
While many people avoid glutamate due to its bad reputation for potential negative health effects, little is known about the health effects of yeast extract.
Yeast extract contains only a small amount of glutamate (around 5%), so it is relatively unlikely to be harmful to our health. Nevertheless, it is an industrially modified ingredient used to enhance flavor.
While the use of glutamate is prohibited in organic foods, yeast extract is allowed.
6) Positive effect – reducing salt content
Yeast extract has its own aromatic flavor thanks to its rich mix of protein compounds. This gives foods, even those with low salt content, a delicious, juicy effect. Its effect is similar to that of spices, helping to reduce salt content without losing the flavor of the food. Nutritionists use a similar strategy when recommending the use of herbs to reduce salt in cooking.
7) No flavor enhancer – misleading the consumer?
Although yeast extract is not classified as an additive by law, it is added to influence the taste. If manufacturers advertise with the statement “no flavor enhancer”, you may well feel deceived at this point. If you want to avoid this ingredient, look out for ingredients such as “spice/seasoning extract”, “autolyzed yeast” or “soup”.