Cheese Day: understand why matured ones are richer in umami

São Paulo, January 2024 – Cheese, one of the most appreciated dairy products in the world, is present in several cultures. That is why it gained a place on the calendar and, on January 20th, World Cheese Day is celebrated. The date not only honors this irresistible delight, but also highlights the wealth of traditions, flavors, and techniques that permeate its global production.

With origins in different cultures and regions, cheese symbolizes gastronomic diversity. From soft and creamy types to aged and more intense ones, the variety tends to please palates.

Every cheese has a touch of umami, which is considered the fifth basic taste of the human palate, alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter, and can be distinctly recognized by the enhancement of the overall flavor of the food and its ability to stimulate salivation.

Aged types, such as parmesan, cheddar, gouda, and roquefort, are known for having a stronger flavor and being richer in umami, since the maturation process promotes the breakdown of milk proteins and releases the amino acid glutamate, which must be free from proteins to promote the basic taste.

“Matured cheeses undergo the fermentation and aging process, stages in which biochemical transformations are triggered that directly impact flavor and texture. These naturally have a high content of glutamate which, in turn, plays a fundamental role as one of the key components of the umami taste,” explains Hellen Maluly, PhD in Food Science and consultant for the Umami Committee.

“Umami is present in everyday foods, especially those that contain some level of the amino acid glutamate in their composition. In addition to cheeses, the fifth taste can also be found in various legumes and vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, and tomatoes, and in some mushrooms, such as shiitake and shimeji,” concludes Hellen.

To celebrate the date, check out two recipes filled with lots of cheese and umami:

4 CHEESE PIZZA

Preparation time: 40 minutes (+ 1 hour of resting)
Serves: 2 pizzas (16 slices)

Credits: Umami Committee

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 cube of fresh yeast (15 g)
• half tablespoon sugar (7.5 g)
• half cup warm water (100 ml)
• 1 cup warm milk (200 ml)
• 2 tablespoons oil (30 ml)
• half tablespoon salt (7 g)
• 4 cups wheat flour (450 g)
• half cup tomato pulp (100 g) 

Filling

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella (200 g)
• half cup chopped gorgonzola (60 g)
• 1 tube of culinary cream cheese (250 g)
• 1 cup coarsely grated parmesan (100 g) 

Directions

1. In a bowl, place the yeast and sugar, and stir until dissolved. Add the water, milk, oil, and salt, and mix well.
2. Gradually add the flour and knead until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough.
3. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
4. Roll out the dough into two 30 cm diameter disks, spread half of the tomato pulp on each disk, and bake them in a medium oven (180 °C / 350 °F), preheated, for 10 minutes.
5. Distribute the cheeses between the two disks and return them to the hot oven for another 10 minutes, or until the mozzarella melts.
6. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. 

POTATOES WITH 3 CHEESE SAUCE

Preparation time: 20 minutes (+ 30 minutes in the oven)
Serves: 6 portions

Credits: Umami Committee

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (15 g)
• 1 and a half cups shredded mozzarella (150 g)
• half cup grated parmesan (50 g)
• half cup grated provolone (50 g)
• 1 glass cream cheese (200 g)
• 1 cup milk (200 ml)
• 1 kg potatoes, sliced, pre-cooked
• half teaspoon oregano (0.2 g) 

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, place the butter and melt over high heat.
2. Lower the heat, add half a cup of the shredded mozzarella (50 g), the cheeses, the cream cheese, and the milk, and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until the cheeses melt.
3. Remove from heat and add the cilantro.
4. In a medium baking dish (20 x 30 cm), make layers with the cheese cream and the potatoes, finishing with the potatoes.
5. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and oregano, and bake in a medium oven (180 °C / 350 °F), for 30 minutes, or until golden and gratin.
6. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. 

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are the increase in salivation and the persistence of the taste for a few minutes after eating the food. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br.