The basic properties of umami as perceived by humans are reviewed to see why umami makes food palatable. Since the term, umami, is originally a Japanese term, many people think that umami is a unique oriental taste concept accepted only in Japan and a few other Asian countries. However, it should be noted that many researchers studied the unique taste quality of MSG and other umami substances after discovery of the taste in 1908, though the umami concept is a more recent development. How the umami taste quality is described, how umami substances are used in foods, how people react to the umami in foods, and the synergistic action between MSG and nucleotides are reviewed here. Sensitivity to umami on different areas of the tongue and cross cultural studies are also discussed.
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