Abstract:To identity the key saltiness enhancement taste compounds in yeast extracts, the taste profiles among three yeast extracts (FA31, KU012 and FA34) by quantitative descriptive analysis and their taste compounds content including free amino acids, organic acids, and nucleotides were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The key saltiness enhancement taste compounds were screened by taste activity value analysis and saltiness enhancement evaluation of binary mixture analysis of taste-NaCl solution. Sensory evaluation results showed that the saltiness, the sweetness and sourness intensity of yeast extract KU012 were higher than those of FA31 and FA34 samples. The addition of yeast extract FA31 to 0.50g/L in a salt solution of 5.00g/L reduced the NaCl addition by 10% without affecting the saltiness intensity perception. The content of taste compounds in yeast extract KU012 was significantly higher than that of yeast extracts FA31 and FA34. The saltiness enhancement verification of 25 taste-presenting compounds with TAV over 1 in the yeast extracts by binary mixture analysis of taste-NaCl solution and saltiness enhancement evaluation. Results showed that 14 taste compounds had saltiness enhancement effects, among which aspartic acid, glutamic acid, alanine, citric acid, 5′-IMP, and 5′-GMP were the key saltiness enhancement compounds in yeast extract with significant saltiness enhancement effects. The results of the S-curve analysis showed that aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and citric acid could enhance salt perception through synergistic effects, while alanine, 5′-GMP, and 5′-IMP could enhance salt perception through additive effects.