Taste Receptors

Umami

The taste is shown with foods containing high glutamate (a nonessential amino acid) and this generally builds during fermentation.

Foods containing glutamate

• Soy
  • Miso
  • Soy Sauce
  • Tamari
  • Natto
  • Tofu (low due to no fermentation)
• Aged Cheeses
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Pecorino Romano
  • Aged cheddar
  • Gruyère
  • Roquefort (blue cheese)
• Veggies
  • Kimchi (fermented cabbage)
  • Tomatoes
    • sun-dried higher
  • Mushrooms
  • Corn (subtle)
  • Peas (avg)
  • Asparagus (avg)
  • Seaweed (kombu is kelp)
• Walnuts (subtle)
• Green tea (subtle)
• Potatos (subtle)
• Yeast extract
• Meat
  • cured ham/prosciutto
  • beef/aged beef
  • lamb/roasted
  • chicken thigh
    • fat + muscle movment making glutamate
  • liver/duck
  • chicken breast/turkey/pork/sausage/ground beef (avg)
• Egg Yolk
• Seafood
  • Fish sauce
  • Tuna > Salmon (cooked higher, aged/dried best)
    • but the fat in salmon tastes "buttery"
    • Katsuobushi is simmered, smoked and fermented skipjack tuna