Have you ever tasted something that was savory, meaty, and delicious, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on what made it so special? That flavor is called umami, and it is the fifth basic taste, alongside salty, sweet, sour, and bitter.

The history of umami

The Japanese word “umami” translates to “pleasant savory taste,” and it appears in foods high in glutamate, inosinate, and guanylate. In 1908, a Japanese scientist named Kikunae Ikeda discovered umami. Ikeda was curious about the flavor of dashi, a traditional Japanese broth made from kombu seaweed and dried bonito flakes. He isolated the compound responsible for the flavor and named it “umami.” Since then, the recognition of umami as a distinct taste, different from the other four basic tastes, has prevailed.

The origin of umami flavor

Umami, a savory taste, is found in foods like meat, fish, mushrooms, tomatoes, soy sauce, and cheese. Manufacturers use glutamate, often through MSG (monosodium glutamate), to add umami flavor to foods. They enhance umami by adding nucleotides like disodium guanylate and IMP (inosine monophosphate) or GMP (guanosine monophosphate).

Glutamate is naturally present in many foods, including meat, fish, and vegetables. Breaking down glutamate during cooking or digestion releases free glutamate, which stimulates the umami receptors on the tongue. On the other hand, food manufacturers often add nucleotides to enhance the umami flavor, even though they are not as common in foods. They work by enhancing the effect of glutamate on the umami receptors.

Umami has a mild but lasting aftertaste associated with salivation and a sensation of furriness on the tongue, stimulating the throat, the roof, and the back of the mouth. While not desirable as a standalone flavor, it adds complexity when paired with other tastes. For example, umami can enhance the sweetness of a dish, balance out the sourness, or add depth to the overall profile.

In recent years, umami has gained popularity in the culinary world, with chefs using it to create new and exciting flavor combinations. Incorporating umami-rich ingredients like miso, soy sauce, and Parmesan cheese has become a common practice in Western cuisine, and this term has gained popularity as a buzzword in the food industry.

Umami is a unique and delicious taste that adds depth and complexity to many dishes. Umami results from glutamate, inosinate, and guanylate, which are amino acids and nucleotides. While not a standalone flavor, umami enhances a dish when paired with other tastes. Next time something tastes savory and meaty, it’s umami making your taste buds sing.

Falmont is capable of creating delicious umami flavors through its technology that can accurately analyze flavors. The process carried out by Falmont in creating accurate flavors, of course, requires strict and safe quality control using cutting-edge technology. Not only that, in creating a flavor, Falmont has also obtained a halal certificate, making it safe for consumption by anyone.