Flavors

Flavors are usually classified into sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and the increasingly recognized and sought-after savory taste of umami, which means "delicious" or "yummy" in Japanese, and is generated by glutamate.

Flavor innovation is a bright spot for food manufacturers, restauranteurs, and consumers alike, providing a source of variety and interest without necessarily taxing food budgets or tying in to rising ingredient costs.

The growing popularity of international foods, evident in the explosion of interest in food trucks and street food among other trends, makes it possible to use global flavors to create very enjoyable eating experiences while providing economy and good value.

Consumers, moreover, increasingly crave more intense flavor. As reported by the Center for Culinary Development (San Francisco, CA), “Whether it’s Third-Degree Burn Doritos or lamb cooked with orange blossom and black pepper ice cream consumers around the globe are thrilling to new, bigger, bolder flavors and unique flavor combinations. It’s an exciting sign-of-the-times that so many consumers are open to exploring new tastes, and even preparing them themselves.”