This article is a review on research of #x201C;Umami Taste#x201D;. The umami tastes of glutamates (salts of L#x2010;glutamic acid), inosinates (salts of 5'#x2010;inosinic acid) and guanylates (salts of 5'#x2010;guanylic acid) were discovered in 1908, 1912 and 1960 respectively. The vigorous studies (1) in physiology, psychology and food chemistry in past few decades proved that umami taste was a basic taste independent from the four basic tastes of sweetness, saltiness, sourness and bitterness and that there was the unique synergistic effect between the umami substances of glutamate and 5'#x2010;nucleotides. This effect realized the enhancement on not only umami taste but also the overall palatability of foods.
展开▼