Good news about Jia Hor Seasoning - new look, upgraded formula.
To those of you who love an extra umami flavor in your home-cooked meals but with the comfort of natural ingredients, you would be very familiar with adding a dash of Jia Hor Seasoning in your cooking.
The original ingredients and their benefits can be found in this link:
https://www.pingofhealth.com/2012/01/safe-and-tasty-ingredients-of-jia-hor.html
Shuang Hor has recently changed the packaging and some ingredients,
mainly to comply with Malaysia’s food regulations.
Main ingredient differences
Old Version:
Contains Ganoderma japonicum (紫芝), Gynostemma pentaphyllum (七叶胆) and kelp extract.
New Version:
Replaced with YK Lingzhi and licorice root extract.
Why do “Maltodextrin” and “Lactose” appear on the new label?
> Natural extracts are highly hygroscopic (attract and hold water molecules from surrounding air). Herbal extracts like Ganoderma and Shiitake absorb moisture aggressively. In Malaysia’s humid climate, pure extracts would quickly clump into a hard, solid block.
> Spray-drying process - food scientists use a tiny amount of Maltodextrin or Lactose as a drying matrix to keep the powder free-flowing and easy to use.
> Stricter, more transparent regulations - these used to be classified as “processing aids” and didn’t need declaring below a certain threshold. In fact, the old formula used Lactose too. Under the new food laws, every carrier agent must now be clearly declared - the new label is simply 100% transparent about it.
Why the new formula is actually better
Whole-food umami
Tthe old formula relied heavily on yeast extract powder as its main flavor driver. The new formula leads with authentic Shiitake mushroom powder, giving a richer, more natural, layered flavor. Yeast extract is now just a minor enhancer near the end of the list. Better flavour balancing
Swapping kelp and Jiaogulan extracts (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) for licorice root extract is a smart culinary upgrade. Licorice contains glycyrrhizin, a natural compound that harmonizes broths, softening sharp or bitter edges and rounding out the umami notes.
Bottom line
Jia Hor Seasoning hasn’t become more “chemical.” The new regulations simply require full transparency about the carrier powders (maltodextrin, lactose) used to keep the herbs dry, while the actual recipe has shifted toward real mushroom powder and better flavor balance.
http://www.pingofhealth.com/p/order-online.html
