A taste improving agent for food and beverage containing potassium
chloride that can effectively relieve unpleasant tastes, such as bitter
taste and harsh taste, attributed to potassium chloride without detriment
to the flavor of the food and beverage; a process for producing a food
and beverage containing potassium chloride of high palatability having
the bitter taste and harsh taste of potassium chloride suppressed; and a
food and beverage containing potassium chloride produced by the
production process. Use is made of a taste improving agent comprising a
basic amino acid and/or a basic peptide as an active ingredient. It is
preferred that the basic amino acid be at least one member selected from
among histidine, arginine and lysine and the basic peptide at least one
member selected from among anserine, carnosine and balenine. This taste
improving agent is added to a food and beverage containing potassium
chloride, thereby obtaining a food and beverage containing potassium
chloride with improved taste.