Covering all the Bases

Concentrated culinary bases are one of the most-versatile and convenient forms of flavor systems in the food industry. A wide variety of bases are available in the industrial and foodservice markets to add authentic flavors and help mimic flavors created by specific cooking techniques.

The reasons to use bases are endless. Cost effectiveness, consistency and speed of production are key points in any manufacturing process or kitchen operation. For those striving for consistency throughout a product line or a chain of restaurants, the use of a base takes away the variance that can come from adding a pinch of this or a dash of that. Customized bases are available, so a signature base can be created from any combination of protein, spices, herbs, juices, starches, concentrates and flavors, and savory flavor boosters like autolyzed yeast extract (AYE), monosodium glutamate (MSG) and hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP).

Quite often, the base manufacturer will work directly with the product designer of an operation to customize a base for a specific use. This way, the product developer can add a unique, proprietary touch to the flavor of the formula to make the finished product their own.

Beyond the basics 

Bases add tremendous flavor to sauces and offer convenience for foodservice operators and industrial manufacturers. A multitude of formula ingredients can be lumped into one base to save on time that would normally be spent weighing and measuring and to promote consistency. With some bases, just adding water creates the final product, such as a sauce. In others, the base serves as a building block for the final flavor in a formula. A base can enhance the meat flavor in a sauce, or add a flavorful depth with roasted notes.

The usage level of a base depends on a few factors. If flavors or concentrates are used and the base is part of an overall flavoring system, the level will be lower around 0.5% to 1.0%. If it is primarily a meat-first paste, with little flavoring to boost certain nuances, then the level could be as high as 3% or so. As a general rule, to make a stock, 1 lb. will make anywhere from 3 to 5 gal. of stock. The amount of water depends on the desired finished flavor strength. You may want a stronger-flavored solution if adding other ingredients that will purge water and dilute the product. Vegetables will release some water and require more base flavor notes.

Bases can save on cost while also delivering desirable flavor. But the benefits dont have to stop there. Seafood and other bases can add flavor and texture, and they can control texture and consistency when they contain various starches or other stabilizers, such as gums. Some bases have particulates that can enhance the visual appeal of a product by adding a rich texture or visible pieces of certain ingredients, such as mushrooms.

Gravy bases are similar to sauce bases in their versatility. Just add hot water and stir or whisk together. Beef and chicken gravy bases are most often used to complement a center-of-the-plate entrée. A gravy base can include starch to thicken to specific viscosity.

Marination systems using bases have come a long way. Cold-gelling bases can be pumped into protein to enhance the flavor and bring out the natural benefits of the meats moisture. A cold-form gel is necessary, because the marinating liquid is applied cold instead of hot. While marinating helps producers increase yields, the benefits of our cold-gelling bases go beyond that, says Bill Cawley, corporate chef, Eatem Foods, Vineland, NJ. A synergy effect occurs with the protein, boosting flavor and succulence, as well as enhancing the cooking process, providing a more roasted or grilled taste. My preference is to use our base in a rice starch and xanthan gum marinating system.

The consistency of the base will range from a thick paste to a moreviscous slurry. Once the base is thawed, if frozen, it is much easier to work with and blends quite well into base liquid. Agitation will ensure adequate blending and flavor dispersal in product. The shelf life depends on a few variables. A higher amount of salt will affect water activity and slow down bacterial growth, which will extend shelf life. A retail shelfstable base probably has a higher salt concentration, and most likely the first ingredient will be salt. A frozen base will last longer than a refrigerated base of similar formula. Processing in a retort could extend the shelf life.

The basis of flavor 

Including concentrated flavors can make the bases even more intensely flavored. Bases add a big flavor punch for the buck, typically even at low use levels. The concentrates can be added to any type of base to emphasize the flavor of a component, complement the whole flavor system, or simulate a cooking technique, such as roasting, without the product needing hours in the oven.

Using a product such as Roastin® 3107 imparts a rich, savory and heavily browned beef flavor with top notes of caramelized vegetables, says Nicholas Pajor, corporate chef, Red Arrow Products Company, Manitowoc, WI. While using a product such as Roastin 9073NP lends the flavor of a chicken being roasted golden brown with crackling skin and succulent browned pan drippings. Both flavors add value while maintaining cost and delivering a high-end base while saving time and creating an outstanding flavor profile.

The range of available flavors allows product developers to add very specific notes during base creation. For example, Red Arrow offers a caramelized onion flavor that can lend a delicate caramelized- onion note in a concentrated form, and a toasted garlic flavor that leaves the impression of lightly toasted garlic cloves being browned under a radiant heat source, says Pajor. Both can be used at very low finish levels and be used to tie complex flavor systems together to create a homogenous, high-end product, he says. They can also be used as stand-alone flavor ingredients, in the instance of where a processor may need to save time and expense of actually toasting garlic or caramelizing onions to achieve a desired flavor profile in a manufacturing setting. He notes that customized versions are available to meet customer demands.

These simulated cooking techniques are on-trend and provide added value in the description of products. For example, descriptions like roasted vegetable, smoked pork, hickory-smoked bacon and caramelized onions are appealing marketing terms on product labels and menus. Value-added flavors play an important role in product development, especially when flavors can be added to another component or ingredient that controls the intended flavor.

There are many ways that flavors can be added to a base, says Simon Poppelsdorf, vice president, R&D flavors, Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Northbrook, IL. To start with, they can be liquid, dry, oil-based, etc., and all geared to either the final applications or to achieve the desired effect of the flavor. It also depends on the kind of process that will be applied to the finished product; some of the processes can have a big effect on the final outcome of the flavor profile and shelf life, including UHT, pasteurization, freezing, etc.

Like basic flavors themselves, bases come in natural, WONF (with other natural flavors), artificial and other forms, notes Poppelsdorf. The smallest percentage of flavors requested is certainly natural. After that, it will be balanced between WONF and artificial, he says, noting that foodservice tends to go for either artificial or natural and artificial (N&A) and, when the price permits, natural WONF. In the end, the choice depends on factors like cost, stability, and label or market requirements.

At the base 

All bases start with a characterizing flavor. A number of companies start out with traditional meat, poultry, seafood and/or vegetable stocks made in an industrial process, which produces high-quality flavors in a convenient product.

Meats such as beef, pork, veal, ham and bacon are all well-represented in the base market. These bases are perfect for complementing the flavor of a stew, sauce, gravy, marinade, dipping sauce or glaze. These can be further enhanced with cooked notes. For example, a touch of smoke flavor to bring out the earthy, savory notes. Use levels are important when using smoke flavors: Either add a small amount to use as a flavor building block, or add more to create a unique, smoky flavor that will dominate the overall flavor system.

Poultry bases are available in a great variety, including chicken, duck, turkey and compound flavors. Each category offers many varieties, each with slight flavor nuances that can truly customize and create a very specific intended flavor. Consider roasted chicken, or turkey with added mirepoix, herbs, spices, grilled flavors or even smoked flavors like mesquite, oak or cedar. Traditionally, chicken stock is added to many different sauces to create an overall savory flavor finish. A bit of chicken base will create that same flavor with less effort and cost.

Seafood bases like clam, lobster, fish fumet or stock, crab, and salmon are excellent for packing a punch of flavor in a soup, sauce or marinade. Making scratch seafood bases can be costly if you dont have the bones from fabricating your own seafood on site. These bases open up the opportunity to create numerous dishes with deep seafood flavors.

Vegetarian bases can be found in a variety of forms: artificial, natural, organic, kosher, non-GMO or any combination of these. The vegetarian market is not as deep as others, but is prevalent around the world. Vegetarian bases can be used in any savory formula to build flavor and create a unique and signature product.

Combining meat and vegetable pastes can give some interesting results. Vegetables add a lot to meat bases, and using them together can help reduce a step or the need for another ingredient.

Quite often, I will use a mushroom base with a meat base to enhance the savory notes and umami flavor characteristics. Portobellos, shiitakes, truffles and other mushroom bases are available and really pack a punch of flavor. In general, the larger and darker a mushroom is, the deeper its flavor will be. Dried mushrooms have a rich, concentrated flavor making them useful for a base background flavor. Mushrooms can provide umami, the fifth taste, giving the base and finished product a fullness and a depth of flavor.

Chile peppers are very on trend, and the base companies have done their part to help. You can find poblano, ancho and chipotle pepper bases to really bring out spice and flavor in ethnic cuisines. In addition to heat, which can range from mild to blazing hot, each can provide a characterizing flavor, from sweet, green or fruity to earthy and smoky.

Rounding the bases 

Multidimensional flavor systems are complex and require a bit more knowledge to use. A base can contain meat, vegetable and cooking-technique flavors, such as a roasted flavor or Maillard browning flavor, caramel color and even a touch of spice. Adding some vinegar or citrus can really brighten up a products flavor.

Customized meat and vegetable combinations can be manufactured to combine various flavors into one base. Like other types of bases, this is a convenience for the operator or manufacturer. This type of product can reduce the number of ingredients needed to add to a formula, since so many components are packed in one base.

When mirepoixa classic culinary mixture of onion, carrot and celeryis added to a base, the result is a more-complex flavor with rounded-out vegetable notes. Caramelizing the mirepoix adds savory characteristics that are perfectly synergistic with meat bases. Another variation, called a white mirepoix, uses parsnips in place of carrots and may include mushrooms.

Sofritossautéed mixtures of seasonings and finely chopped vegetables, such as onions, carrots, garlic and peppers that are similar to a mirepoix, but with the addition of ingredients like ham or lard, annatto seeds and even tomato, depending on the origin and customary use are used in various regions of the world as bases, and are now conveniently available as manufactured bases. The sofrito is incorporated into the product differently than a meat, vegetable or seafood base. It is usually used to enhance the flavor of the oil or first stage of the cooking process, which is where the flavor building blocks begin.

In bases, fresh fruit and vegetable juices, wines and spirits, and herbs and spices create a unique and customized approach to base usage. They can help you develop a signature item with a craveable flavor. The classic for seasoning savory stocks is bouquet garni, a combination that typically contains fresh thyme, parsley, celery and a bay leaf. Juices can often be found as concentrates so a little can go a long way. The same is true of wine and spirits.

Low-sodium bases also play an increasingly important role as the market looks to reduce sodium content in processed and restaurant foods, but they require special attention to flavor. A low-sodium base allows the development team to manage the sodium content in a sodium-sensitive formula by adding sodium at the plant level.

Certain ingredients can increase the perception of salt. For example, use of MSG, AYE, HVP and similar ingredients can boost savory flavorsbut some market segments avoid such ingredients, usually due the controversies surrounding the presence of glutamates and glutamic acid. Yeast extracts and HVPs have historically been used in savory base development and are still notable, but in recent years we have started creating all-natural and organic products and have learned to formulate great-tasting products without the use of these ingredients, says Cawley. In fact, no-added-MSG products play a role in many clean-label products as well. Many consumers avoid this ingredient because of persistent adverse publicity, and its presence may influence their purchases.

Bases are some of the most-versatile ingredients used in manufacturing sauces, marinades, glazes, gravies and the like. It is critical to use the proper ingredient at the correct amount to truly maximize a products flavor. The execution of base ingredients will depend on the use of the base and the flavor target or intended flavor. When developing with any ingredient, you have to have a target or gold standard in mind.

Remember: It is all about flavor when trying to attract that consumer over and over again. 

Charlie Baggs is president and founder of Charlie Baggs, Inc., Chicago, an international foodservice- consulting company specializing in marketing support, flavor and product development, gold-standard recipes, national account presentations, and culinary training. Baggs is a member of the Research Chefs Association and the Institute of Food Technologists. He can be reached at [email protected]. 

Specialized Base Solutions

Non-GMO bases are a niche that can enhance a non-GMO product. The varieties of non-GMO bases have increased over the years with many types of GMO-free ingredients available commercially. This type of product is especially important in the growing organic market segment.

Organic bases are also a growing market. There are many organic flavors and concentrates that can be used to boost flavors in an organic base. It is important to stay true to the organic concept when developing an organic product, but its also important to deliver on flavor. The USDA established the National Organic Program (NOP) to assure consumers that such products meet consistent, uniform standards. This program establishes national standards for the production and handling of organically produced products, including a National List of substances approved for and prohibited from use in organic production and handling. The National List identifies synthetic ingredients that can be used and the nonsynthetic substances that cannot be used in organic products.

For example, modified starches and some gums are prohibited, and product designers are limited to flavors that are certified as organic.

Kosher bases are also an important category in some markets, either for religious reasons (and those generally overlap with halal rules) or because of their relation to quality. More kosher ingredients are showing up in the marketplace that can be used in base development. The variety of kosher bases is somewhat limited, due to inherent dietary restrictions, but almost any allowed combination can be customized by most base manufacturers. In addition to the common prohibition of not mixing meat and dairy, and staying away from pork, kosher bases may not contain shellfish, and must observe the rules governing the use of wines and spirits derived from grapes. Any kosher products must carry the certification mark of a rabbinical organization that has supervised its production.