PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a saltiness promoter exhibiting excellent saltiness promotion effect while making up flavor reduction due to salt reduction, capable of maintaining impact of a first taste and persistence of aftertaste even with used amount of salt reduced and having no harsh taste, and foods containing the saltiness promoter.SOLUTION: A saltiness promoter contains (A) an animal extract and/or a plant extract containing sterol represented by the formula (1) or a sterol fatty acid ester, a Maillard reaction product and a sulfur-containing compound, (B) protein hydrolysate, (C) potassium salt and (D) one or more kind of spice selected from allspice, mace, coriander, celery seed, cardamom, cinnamon, thyme and fennel, and has dry weight ratio of components (A)/(B)/(C)/(D) of (9 to 55)/(5 to 54)/(33 to 83)/(0.3 to 20) by dry mass ratio based on total dry weight of the four components of 100. In the formula (1), Ris H or a fatty acid residual and Ris a hydrocarbon group having no double bond.SELECTED DRAWING: None
