New Ideas for Savory Fruits and Vegetables
Although fruit or vegetable flavors may not always be considered savory, they often are used to add flavor to savory sauces, marinades, glazes and entrees as auxiliary ingredients. Grilled and roasted flavors are a savory sensation and can (at least partially) replace salt in vegetables. Natural fruit flavor enhancement is being used to create new food flavors. Acai, mango and guava are now more mainstream flavors, but there still are more exotic fruits and fruit flavors on the market used in savory sauces and other products.
A Mintel GNPD search of the top 50 flavors for new foods launched in North America in 2009 shows many savory-type flavors appearing on this list. Of the new products launched, the following flavors appeared: 97 had a Cheddar flavor; 92 a general cheese flavor; 78 chicken flavor; 64 butter flavor; 50 garlic; 58 beef; and 41 onion-flavored products. Other savory flavors showing up in new products launched in 2009 included 20 new products with chipotle flavor, two with seafood, five miso and 30 mushroom-flavored products. (See chart “Selecting Savory Flavors.”) A recent survey of food and ingredient manufacturers by one seasoning supplier indicates up-and-coming savory flavors may include piquante pepper, mushroom and maracuya (passion fruit).