Taste of mentsuyu (a Japanese noodle soup) depends on the combination and proportion of ingredients

Abstract

The relationship between taste and ingredients was examined for mentsuyu, a Japanese noodle soup. The semantic differential (SD) technique and chemical component analysis were conducted on 16 types of mentsuyu having different combinations and proportions of ingredients. The results of the SD technique showed that mentsuyu containing an increased amount of sugar or IMP substituted for dried bonito retained a good, balanced taste. The mentsuyu containing MSG substituted for kombu had a good taste similar to the control mentsuyu containing kombu. The results of multiple regression analysis between taste and chemical components of mentsuyu showed that MSG concentration affected the taste while changes in salt concentration only slightly improved it. Factor analysis resulted in three factors, complex richness, sharpness and taste of dashi and umami. The mentsuyu containing increased amount of dried bonito and prepared using dark soy sauce showed high factor scores, suggesting that these ingredients help develop a particularly complex richness and sharpness with a taste of dashi and umami. In conclusion, the development of the mentsuyu taste requires a unique balance of dried bonito, dark soy sauce and MSG.