The firm's Maxarome Select product, a neutral-tasting yeast extract that claims to improve taste and flavour impact in a wide variety of food applications, can be used to replace up to 40 per cent of the salt content of some products.
"This is not a salt replacement product it's primarily a taste enhancer," DSM Food Specialties product manager Iwan Brandsma told FoodNavigator.
"But taste enhancement is one of the functions of salt. It's been used for thousands of years in this way.
"If you take it away from a product, you need to put back this enhancement functionality that salt has. This is what Maxarome Select can do. "
Maxarome Select was launched at the last year's FiE show in Paris.
"Maxarome Select is DSM's forth generation of yeast-based flavour enhancers, and represents an evolution in this sector," said Brandsma.
"It is completely taste neutral, this is what makes it innovative. It is a completely natural taste enhancer. And manufacturers can label it as yeast extract."
This goes against the grain of what properties yeast extracts are expected to possess. Yeast is widely used in the food industry because of its taste contribution it can impart a meaty bouillon taste to a wide variety of products. This is derived from the yeast's amino acid and peptide complex.
However, new technology means that it is possible to develop speciality yeasts that are rich in glutamates and nucleotides. The synergistic effect of these two compounds makes it possible to use extracts exclusively to improve unami taste and enhance flavour.
But the focus at the Health Ingredients Europe (HIE) show was of course on health, and DSM was keen to market the product as having possible health-improvement properties. Food manufacturers are desperate to cut out salt from their products, in response to both consumer demand and legislative pressure.
Indeed, the food industry has been demonised by the health lobby for being irresponsible in promoting salty, sugar and fatty foods, and has been a target in legislative drives to lower salt consumption.
And clearly, all food makers want to avoid strict legislation. Many food companies have therefore made an effort to show that it can act responsibly.
"We're finding new angles for this product," said Brandsma. "Because it is stronger it allows food makers to reduce the amount of salt in their formulations. The functionality remains the same."
Salt has many other functions, such as in processing and preservation. But Brandsma says that for firm's using Maxarome in products such as crisps, this should not be a problem. "The only issue would be if it were used in, say, processed meats, where salt plays an important preservative function."
Brandsma also claims that Maxarome Select is attractive financially. "You can't get cheaper than salt," he said. "But any cost increase is negligible because this product is so concentrated."
The bottom line, said Brandsma, is that food makers are under pressure to cut out salt, and that this will inevitably have to happen with processed foods. This is where consumers get the majority of their salt intake.
"We've seen great initiatives in the snacks industry," he said. "A lot of flavour houses now have their own salt replacers."