Umami: The Fifth Taste

Reported October 2010

PHILADELPHIA, PA (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Most of us prefers food that’s sweet, salty, sour or bitter, but now, scientists say there is growing evidence that a fifth primary taste exists, one that most of us have never heard of, and even fewer of us can easily distinguish. It’s called “Umami”, from the Japanese word for “extremely yummy”. Researchers say the key to better nutrition may lie in our sense of taste.

Think sweet, salty, sour or bitter and your favorite foods come to mind. Now, how about “Umami”?

“I’d never heard of it before.” Sabatino Campellone told Ivanhoe

Temple university biologist Greg Smutzer has designed a simple test to measure the five human tastes, including Umami. They’re much like commercial breath strips but each of these edible pieces contains a small amount of taste stimulus on it.

Broth, stews, tomatoes and fermented foods. That’s Umami. The Umami taste means amino acids are present, the building blocks of protein, and an essential nutrient for us.

Paul Breslin is a sensory geneticist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. Dr. Breslin and his team discovered that some people are more sensitive to the Umami taste.

“No two people are going to smell or taste the world in the same way, so I'm interested in understanding what genes are involved in this process, how they work.” Dr. Breslin said.

Dr. Breslin found that variations in three places on a taste receptor gene affect the strength of the Umami taste. He says if scientists can better understand how taste receptors detect amino acids-they may be able to improve the taste of dietary supplements, which are usually high in protein.

Dr. Breslin’s research also shows that taste is truly different for each individual. 5% of the subjects in a clinical taste test could not tell the difference between “Umami” and salt and for many others, the “Umami” flavor varied in intensity.

The Biophysical Society contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report. This report has also been produced thanks to a generous grant from the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.

Click here to Go Inside This Science or contact:

Leslie J. Stein, Ph.D.
Science Communications, Monell Center
Philadelphia, PA
stein@monell.org

Ellen Weiss
Director of Policy & Communications
Biophysical Society
(240) 290-5606
eweiss@biophysics.org

They can cost up to two million dollars! And now, from the rack, to the mold, to the road …we take you inside a Lamborghini lab to show you what’s being done there that could change what’s sitting in your own driveway

Sustain, maintain and save the earth. That’s the green motto … and now, the green standard for homes not only saves the environment, but also your health

The stream or river that runs through your neighborhood or city could reveal just how healthy your surroundings are

34-million Americans suffer from asthma. Now there’s a new alternative when inhalers and drugs don’t work

We know it’s a serious medical condition in adults … but did you know it kills kids as well? We’ll show you the signs and what can be done to lower blood pressure in the youngest patients

Millions of kids have trouble writing their own names, but now help is on the way in the form of a ‘robotic’ helping hand

Sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami? It’s being called the fifth taste that some of us might not be able to taste at all

Before you tackle that next DIY project, find out which power tools can cause the most harm after a weekend project

Warning! Power Tools Hurt Hands

This new mask could protect those who protect us

You’ve seen it on TV…a life-saving procedure to help patient’s breath easier – but now it’s new and improved and will help doctors save more lives in an emergency.

Dino’s ruled the earth 65-million-years ago and now, they’re ruling the art world.