Umami is not a complex taste. It is a simple one.

うま味という味は複雑な味ではない。単純な味である。

Kikunae Ikeda

Inventors

Kikunae Ikeda

Born in Kyoto in 1864, Kikunae Ikeda was a chemist at Tokyo Imperial University who identified L-glutamate as the compound responsible for the savory taste of kombu seaweed broth. In 1908, he named this sensation 'umami' — now recognized worldwide as the fifth basic taste — and patented a method to produce monosodium glutamate, which became the global seasoning brand Ajinomoto.

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Kikunae Ikeda's Other Quotes

The best way to improve the nation's nutrition is to provide an affordable and delicious seasoning.

There clearly exists a taste that cannot be classified under any of the four recognized categories — sweet, sour, salty, or bitter.

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