Umami taste may help in cancer treatment | Press

A study conducted by Ilana Elman, PhD in Nutrition from the University of São Paulo, showed that the fifth taste of the human palate—umami—combined with the right foods, can aid taste perception and improve food acceptance among people undergoing treatment or those who have difficulty eating.

Ilana Elman developed the study “Analysis of Umami Taste Sensitivity in Children with Cancer,” which concluded that “the consumption of foods containing monosodium glutamate—an umami taste enhancer—in appropriate amounts in culinary preparations can make dishes more flavorful and thus increase acceptance,” the researcher explains.

In addition, the role of the substance that provides the umami taste is to improve and amplify the flavor of culinary preparations. Ilana also notes that “the population studied showed sensitivity to this taste; that is, when solutions were offered in increasing concentrations, the children perceived the taste at the lower concentrations.” The test confirmed that foods containing glutamate in their composition—or the use of monosodium glutamate as a flavor enhancer—can improve food acceptance among people who struggle to eat.

Hellen Maluly, professor of Food Bromatology and Toxicology at Faculdade Oswaldo Cruz and a specialist in umami, states that “variety in the composition of the diet can help in children’s development and health. That’s why it is important to present all tastes and also different aromas in children’s foods, so they become accustomed to good eating habits,” the umami specialist emphasizes.

UMAMI TASTE

Umami is the fifth basic taste of the human palate and was discovered in 1908 by 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 glutamate and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main substances that provide umami. Parmesan cheese, tomato, mushrooms, and meats in general are foods that contain these substances in large proportions and therefore display the fifth taste more intensely. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and a lingering taste for a few minutes after eating.

UMAMI COMMITTEE

The Umami Committee Brazil is a group created to discuss and publicize topics related to the fifth basic taste of the human palate, umami. The committee has a direct relationship with the Umami Information Center (UIC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to research on the subject.