Umami

[10] This neologism was coined in 1908 by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda from a nominalization of umai (うまい) "delicious".

[14] It can be described as a pleasant "brothy" or "meaty" taste with a long-lasting, mouthwatering and coating sensation over the tongue.

The sensation of umami is due to the detection of the carboxylate anion of glutamate in specialized receptor cells present on human and other animal tongues.

[28][29] In the late 1800s, chef Auguste Escoffier, who opened restaurants in Paris and London, created meals that combined umami with salty, sour, sweet, and bitter tastes.

He noticed that the taste of kombu dashi was distinct from sweet, sour, bitter, and salty and named it umami.

[16] Professor Shintaro Kodama, a disciple of Ikeda, discovered in 1913 that dried bonito flakes (a type of tuna) contained another umami substance.

In 1957, Akira Kuninaka realized that the ribonucleotide GMP present in shiitake mushrooms also conferred the umami taste.

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.

[34][35] By itself, umami is not palatable, but it makes a great variety of foods pleasant, especially in the presence of a matching aroma.

[5]: 11, 52, 110 [43] Protein in food is tasteless, however processes such as fermentation, curing, or heat treatment release glutamate and other amino acids.

[24] Generally, umami taste is common to foods that contain high levels of L-glutamate, IMP and GMP, most notably in fish, shellfish, cured meats, meat extracts, mushrooms, vegetables (e.g., ripe tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, spinach, celery, etc.

They are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) with similar signaling molecules that include G proteins beta-gamma, PLCB2 and PI3-mediated release of calcium (Ca2+) from intracellular stores.

[48] Calcium activates a so-called transient-receptor-potential cation channel TRPM5 that leads to membrane depolarization and the consequent release of ATP and secretion of neurotransmitters including serotonin.

[1][53][54] Umami has become popular as a flavor with food manufacturers trying to improve the taste of low sodium offerings.

[56] The United States Food and Drug Administration has designated the umami enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG) as a safe ingredient.