Revista de Nutrição e Ciências Alimentares
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Fermented Shrimp Products as Source of Umami in Southeast Asia

Hajeb P and Jinap S

Fermented shrimp products are widely consumed in Southeast Asian countries. They are mainly categorized into shrimp sauces, shrimp pastes, and lacto-fermented products. Fermented shrimp products of each group in each region are processed with almost the same technologies but the fermentation time and salt contents of the products are somewhat different. These products which are known with different names in each country are usually used as side dishes, condiments or main dishes. The main function of the products is to provide a salty and umami taste to the food. To produce fermented shrimp products, salt is mixed with cleaned fresh or dried shrimp and allowed to be fermented for several months to enable the indigenous enzymes to auto-digest the meat and create products with high amino acids content. The enzymatic fermentation of shrimp mediated by indigenous proteases yields short chain peptides and free amino acids which render the typical flavour and taste of umami. Salt is added to prevent deterioration and food poisoning as well as to produce meaty-savoury flavour. Fermentation process also produces high glutamic content, other amino acids and nucleotides which contribute to the umami taste of the products.