Salt's contribution to flavor is a dynamic journey, not a single note. We call this the "Salt Curve": an initial salty impact, a phase of enhanced body and mouthfeel, and a clean aftertaste. Simply removing salt or replacing it with potassium chloride (KCl) disrupts this curve, leading to a flat taste profile and unwanted bitter or metallic off-notes. Ruikelai's approach is to rebuild this entire sensory experience. We use a combination of High-Impact Salty Flavors to deliver the upfront salty hit, umami-rich yeast extracts to provide savory depth and kokumi ("mouthfulness") , and specialized mouthfeel enhancers to replicate all of salt's functions, creating a complete and satisfying sensory journey.
The Challenge: A leading snack brand needed to reduce sodium by 35% in its top-selling BBQ seasoning without compromising the bold flavor that consumers loved.
The Solution: We engineered a custom solution to rebuild the complete sensory profile. We combined a high-impact salty flavor for the initial taste, an Angel Yeast FA62 extract for umami depth and savory complexity , and a touch of smoked paprika extract to match the authentic BBQ flavor profile.
The Result: The reformulated seasoning achieved the 35% sodium reduction target while consumer panel testing confirmed it matched the original's flavor profile and overall preference. This success highlights our ability to deliver on health targets without sacrificing taste.