The savoury “fifth basic taste,” identified by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda, is called umami.
Umami is often described as brothy, meaty or savoury. Its main chemical signal is glutamate, an amino acid found naturally in foods such as kombu, tomatoes, mushrooms, aged cheese and meat. Nucleotides including inosinate and guanylate can intensify the sensation, which is why combinations such as kombu and dried bonito create especially rich broth.
Ikeda identified umami in 1908 while investigating the distinctive taste of kombu dashi, a Japanese seaweed broth. He concluded that glutamate was responsible and later helped develop monosodium glutamate, or MSG, as a practical seasoning. The word comes from Japanese and is commonly translated as “pleasant savoury taste.”
Umami is distinct from saltiness, although salty foods may seem more satisfying when they also contain umami. Another common confusion is kokumi: kokumi describes mouthfulness and continuity rather than a universally recognized basic taste. Modern taste research supports umami as a distinct taste quality with dedicated receptor systems.