Get to know 6 curiosities about the fifth taste | Press

Origin of the word, foods, and benefits: become an umami expert.

July 2018 – Until not long ago, we learned there were only four basic tastes—sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. However, what some people still don’t know is that July 25 is known as Umami Day—a date that celebrates the discovery of the fifth basic taste of the human palate. The choice of the date is directly related to its discovery in 1908, when Japanese researcher Kikunae Ikeda identified a different taste and named it umami.

The fifth taste and the identification of the substances that provide it were a revolution for cuisine, and this year the discovery turns 110 years. See below six facts about umami.

The choice of the date

Some think umami has existed for less than 20 years, when researchers confirmed the existence of receptors for it on the tongue. However, the turning point in the world of tastes occurred long before 2000—almost a century earlier. In 1908, Professor and scientist Kikunae Ikeda, while tasting dashi—a traditional Japanese broth made with kombu seaweed and bonito—noticed a taste different from those known at the time. After much research, he was able to extract glutamic acid (free glutamate) from kombu and confirmed that this savory taste really existed and was present in many foods he ate daily. July 25 was chosen as Umami Day because it was when Ikeda concluded his studies and, consequently, when umami was discovered.

The origin of the word

Of Japanese origin, the word umami means savory, delicious. Named by the scientist, the term has long been used in Japanese vocabulary for centuries. Its writing derives from “Umai” (delicious) and “Mi” (taste).

Scientific recognition

Although discovered over a century ago by Kikunae Ikeda, umami was only recognized by the scientific community in the early 2000s, when scientists at the University of Miami, led by researcher Nirupa Chaudhari, proved the existence of specific receptors for this taste on the human tongue. The main substances that provide umami are the amino acid glutamate and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate. After this confirmation, several studies were launched to better understand the characteristics and peculiarities of the “new” taste.

Umami foods

Our first contact with umami is usually through breast milk—which is sweet and rich in glutamate, the amino acid responsible for conferring the fifth taste. Umami is present in everyday foods such as cheeses, tomatoes, meats, vegetables, and mushrooms.

Main characteristics

Umami can be described as a deep, lingering taste because of the velvety sensation it produces in the mouth. Its main characteristics are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after eating.

Benefits

What not everyone knows is that this seemingly sophisticated-named taste offers many health benefits. Among them, the main ones are increased salivation and prolonged flavor, features that directly influence food acceptance—especially in children and older adults—help with oral hygiene, and support sodium reduction and protein digestion.

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 increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br and follow facebook.com/ogostoumami and instagram.com/ogostoumami.