Umami

Lore & Background

Umami was first scientifically identified in 1908 by Kikunae Ikeda, a professor at Tokyo Imperial University, who found that glutamate was responsible for the palatability of broth from kombu seaweed. He noticed the taste was distinct from sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, and named it umami. In 1909, Ikeda and Saburōsuke Suzuki founded Ajinomoto Co., Inc., which introduced the world's first umami seasoning: monosodium glutamate (MSG), marketed in Japan as 'Ajinomoto.'

In 1913, Shintaro Kodama discovered that dried bonito flakes contained the ribonucleotide IMP, another umami substance. In 1957, Akira Kuninaka realized that GMP from shiitake mushrooms also conferred umami taste, and discovered the synergistic effect between ribonucleotides and glutamate, where combining them yields greater taste intensity than expected.

In 2000, researchers at the University of Miami identified umami receptors on the tongue, and in 2006, Ajinomoto's research laboratories found similar receptors in the stomach. The term 'umami' was recognized as the scientific term for the taste of glutamates and nucleotides at the first Umami International Symposium in Hawaii in 1985.

Reader's Guide

Umami represents a fundamental shift in understanding human taste perception, expanding the traditional four basic tastes to five. Its identification by Kikunae Ikeda in 1908 led to the commercial production of MSG, which became a global seasoning used to enhance flavor in a wide variety of dishes. The discovery of umami receptors on the tongue in 2000 and in the stomach in 2006 confirmed that umami is a distinct taste with its own biological mechanism, not merely a combination of other tastes.

Umami enhances palatability and can reduce the need for salt in foods, as studies show low-salt soups with umami maintain satisfactory taste. This has implications for health, particularly for the elderly, whose taste and smell sensitivity may be impaired. Umami also appears to stimulate appetite and may contribute to satiety. The synergistic effect between glutamate and ribonucleotides explains classical food pairings such as Japanese dashi (kombu and bonito flakes) and Italian dishes with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Despite its acceptance, some dispute remains whether umami is truly independent, as standalone glutamate without salt is perceived as sour, and sweet and umami share a taste receptor subunit.

Did You Know?

• Umami was first scientifically identified in 1908 by Kikunae Ikeda from glutamate in kombu seaweed broth.
• The synergistic effect between glutamate and ribonucleotides (IMP and GMP) makes combined umami foods taste more intense than the sum of their parts.
• Umami receptors were found on the tongue in 2000 and in the stomach in 2006.
• Fermented fish sauces rich in glutamate were used in ancient Rome, and fermented barley sauces in medieval Byzantine and Arab cuisine.