Sensory Physiology

Umami is a Japanese loan-word used to describe the fifth taste (other than sweet, salty, sour, and bitter). It is a taste we have specific taste receptors for in our mouths triggered by being exposed to foods that contain amino acids and or nucleotides. Umami is often described as a savory taste, but it is not just limited to salty foods. Baked goods such as cakes and cookies benefit from the umami taste from Maillard browning in baked products. In its purest form, umami is the taste of MSG or monosodium glutamate. Although MSG is produced in a lab by fermenting proteins containing glutamic acid, glutamate is a compound found abundantly in nature. That's why it is possible to make umami-rich dishes without adding MSG.