Discovery of N-succinyl-L-isoleucine as a novel taste enhancer via multisensory techniques and molecular simulations

As awareness of health implications associated with dietary habits elevates alongside an increase in living standards, the trend toward minimizing sodium chloride and monosodium glutamate consumption has gained prominence. This study explored a novel taste enhancer, N-succinyl-L-isoleucine (N-Suc-Ile), focusing on its synthesis, taste-enhancing effects, and taste-enhancing mechanism. The synthesis of N-Suc-Ile was achieved through enzymatic catalysis employing food-grade enzymes in an aqueous environment, achieving yielding 30.22 %. Quantitative descriptive analysis revealed that the addition of N-Suc-Ile significantly enhanced the intensities of umami (13.11-37.70 %), saltiness (11.11-38.10 %), and kokumi (12.73-49.10 %) in a concentration-dependent manner (0.25-1 mg/L). Furthermore, time-intensity results showed that the durations of both umami and saltiness were prolonged by 46.88 % and 50 %, respectively, with the addition of 1 mg/L N-Suc-Ile. Analysis using sigmoid curves further validated N-Suc-Ile's synergistic effects in enhancing umami and saltiness. Molecular docking and dynamic simulation indicated that N-Suc-Ile bound effectively and stably to taste receptors, enhancing the sensations of umami, saltiness, and kokumi. These findings underscored the potential of N-Suc-Ile as a taste enhancer, suggesting its application could ensure the taste of food products while aligning with health-conscious consumer preferences.