Aging Process Intensifies Umami Taste in Foods | Press

Procedure is used mainly for cheeses.

Little by little, umami—the fifth basic taste of the human palate—has been gaining popularity with the general public. As a result, not only everyday consumers but also top chefs have become interested in the secrets and applications of this taste. In the book “Umami and Glutamate: Chemical, Biological and Technological Aspects,” one chapter gives special emphasis to aging processes, used primarily for cheeses.

But what does cheese aging have to do with the umami taste? Simple! This kind of process further intensifies the fifth taste in foods. That’s because milk proteins break down and release an even greater amount of glutamate (or glutamic acid), the main component responsible for umami.

Coincidence or not, Parmesan is the food with the highest concentration of umami taste and contains 1,200 to 1,680 mg of free glutamate per 100 g of cheese. “It takes at least one year for the cheese to age, during which time the amount of glutamate increases,” explains Kumiko Ninomiya, director of the Umami Information Center, in the chapter “Umami in the World of Gastronomy.”

Kumiko Ninomiya also describes Parmesan as “the jewel of Italian dishes.” According to the specialist, “the strength of the umami taste in Parmesan cheese makes it an ideal accompaniment to a considerable number of dishes.” Another important point is that only glutamate in its free form can confer the fifth taste; when it is bound to protein, umami cannot be perceived.

UMAMI TASTE

Umami is the fifth basic taste of the human palate and was discovered in 1908 by the Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda. However, it was only recognized by the scientific community in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami found specific receptors on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main substances that provide umami. Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, and meats in general are foods that contain these substances in higher proportions and therefore have a more pronounced fifth taste. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and a lingering taste for a few minutes after eating.