A salty taste enhancer of the present invention includes a finely ground plant tissue product in which at least a part of cell walls are destroyed and which passes through a size of 140-mesh, and a flavor component including a Maillard reaction product and a sulfur-containing compound. In particular, when the finely ground plant tissue product includes a sterol or a sterol fatty acid ester shown by the following general formula (1), an excellent salty taste enhancing effect is exhibited, and even if an amount of a salt used is reduced, the impact of a first taste and the retention of an aftertaste can be enhanced, and the amount of the salt used can be reduced without impairing a taste of food and drink. (Provided that in the formula (1), R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a fatty acid residue, and R2 represents a hydrocarbon group including no double bond.)
本发明的咸味增强剂包括至少部分细胞壁被破坏并通过 140 目细磨的植物组织产品,以及包括马氏反应产物和
含硫化合物的风味成分。特别是,当磨细的植物组织产品包括以下通式(1)所示的
固醇或
固醇脂肪酸酯时,可表现出极佳的咸味增强效果,即使减少盐的用量,也能增强初味的冲击力和余味的保持力,并且可以减少盐的用量而不影响食品和饮料的味道。(前提是在式 (1) 中,R1 代表氢原子或
脂肪酸残基,R2 代表不含双键的烃基)。