The present invention relates to the use of a compound according to formula (I) ##STR00001## in the form of any one of its stereoisomers or a mixture thereof, and wherein n is an integer from 0 to 2; the dotted line represents a carbon-carbon single or double bond; and each of R.sup.1 to R.sup.4, when taken independently from each other, represents a hydrogen atom or represents a R.sup.5 or OR.sup.5 group, R.sup.5 representing a C.sub.1 to C.sub.5, or even a C.sub.1 to C.sub.3, alkyl group; and optionally one of the groups R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 represents —OH; and/or when R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are taken together, and/or R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are taken together, represent a OCH.sub.2O group, provided said groups taken together are adjacent substituents of the phenyl group;
as an ingredient in combination with other ingredients to confer, enhance, improve or modify the kokumi or umami taste of a flavored article.

A method of making a flavoured sweetener or food product by incubating an unrefined plant extract containing sucrose as the main solute with a microorganism or microorganisms to form a modified unrefined plant extract; evaporating water from the modified sucrose-based plant extract to form a concentrate; and cooking the concentrate to develop colour and flavour to produce the flavoured sweetener is disclosed. The flavoured sweetener can serve as a coconut sugar substitute. In a preferred embodiment the unrefined plant extract comprises sugarcane juice or sugar beet juice, and the microorganisms may be selected from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus flexus, or a Klyveromyces species. The flavoured sweetener can be used to make a range of food and beverage ingredients and also food products including sauces, natural flavour extracts and flavour molecules, chocolate, health foods and convenience forms of the various forms of flavoured sweeteners.

A method of making a flavoured sweetener or food product by incubating an unrefined plant extract containing sucrose as the main solute with a microorganism or microorganisms to form a modified unrefined plant extract; evaporating water from the modified sucrose-based plant extract to form a concentrate; and cooking the concentrate to develop colour and flavour to produce the flavoured sweetener is disclosed. The flavoured sweetener can serve as a coconut sugar substitute. In a preferred embodiment the unrefined plant extract comprises sugarcane juice or sugar beet juice, and the microorganisms may be selected from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus flexus, or a Klyveromyces species. The flavoured sweetener can be used to make a range of food and beverage ingredients and also food products including sauces, natural flavour extracts and flavour molecules, chocolate, health foods and convenience forms of the various forms of flavoured sweeteners.

A method for producing fermented shiitake mushroom sauce according to an embodiment includes adding lactose and sucrose to shiitake mushroom concentrate followed by inoculation of Pediococcus pentosaceus strain or Lactobacillus acidophilus strain and fermentation to prepare lactic acid bacteria fermented product of shiitake mushroom, and mixing the lactic acid bacteria fermented product of shiitake mushroom prepared above with hot pepper extract, garlic extract, onion extract, and shiitake mushroom block, water, salt, lemongrass, and coriander, and the present invention also relates to fermented shiitake mushroom sauce produced by the aforementioned method.

A strain of Oceanobacillus picturae and applications thereof are provided, which relate to technical fields of microorganism and food processing. A strain of halophilic bacteria was screened from the brine of Xiangyang Pickled Kohlrabi and was identified as the strain of Oceanobacillus picturae by morphology, physical and chemical properties and 16S rRNA sequence. The strain is able to significantly increase the varieties and contents of volatile substances, and decrease the contents of pungent substances in pickled vegetables. The strain of Oceanobacillus picturae can improve the taste and the flavor of the pickled vegetables.

Provided herein is a process for increasing the dissolution rate of a sparingly water soluble flavor or taste modifying compound in water comprising: a. mixing the compound and a highly water soluble second compound in a water based solution to form a solution or dispersion of the compound; and b. drying the solution or dispersion to form a solution or solid dispersion of the compound wherein the compound has an increased dissolution rate in water as compared to the compound when dissolved in water alone.

Provided herein is a process for increasing the dissolution rate of a sparingly water soluble flavor or taste modifying compound in water comprising: a. mixing the compound and a highly water soluble second compound in a water based solution to form a solution or dispersion of the compound; and b. drying the solution or dispersion to form a solution or solid dispersion of the compound wherein the compound has an increased dissolution rate in water as compared to the compound when dissolved in water alone.

A modulated protein composition is described with improved flavor properties over a vegetable protein. Methods of making a modulated protein composition including the use of a volatile modulating yeast culture to ferment a vegetable protein to produce the modulated protein composition are described. Also disclosed are a fermented vegetable composition made from a modulated protein composition, and ingredients and foods including a fermented vegetable composition or a modulated protein composition.

A modulated protein composition is described with improved flavor properties over a vegetable protein. Methods of making a modulated protein composition including the use of a volatile modulating yeast culture to ferment a vegetable protein to produce the modulated protein composition are described. Also disclosed are a fermented vegetable composition made from a modulated protein composition, and ingredients and foods including a fermented vegetable composition or a modulated protein composition.

A composition for foodstuff, having a mass ratio of a total content of D-isoleucine, D-leucine, and D-valine to the content of D-alanine (D-isoleucine, D-leucine, and D-valine/D-alanine) of 0.1 or more. The composition of the present invention is useful in the fields of foodstuff, and the like.