Umami The Fifth Taste - yi：鲜味第五味益.pptVIP

Glutamate: The Fifth Taste John Stephenson January 22, 2004 Chee 450 Monosodium Glutamate Sodium salt of glutamic acid Odorless fine white crystalline powder, highly soluble in water (42g MSG/100g) Naturally occurring amino acid Non-essential amino acid for humans Glutamate Function Building block for protein Approximately 4lbs of bound glutamate in body 50g a day free glutamate produced Excitatory neurotransmitter Flavor enhancer Found naturally in meat, fermented and aged foods Umami or Savoriness History 1,200 years ago Oriental cooks used a soup stock from Laminaria Japonica 1908: Ikeda isolated glutamate Recognized by FDA in 1959 as a safe additive Chinese restaurant syndrome Production Commercial MSG is produced by fermentation of starch, sugar beet, sugar cane or molasses. 1.5 billion kilograms / year Coryneform bacteria commonly used. genus: Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium or Microbacterium (e.g. Corynebacterium glutamicum) Corynebacterium glutamicum Koryne – meaning club Bacterion – meaning little rod Gram +ve, catalase +ve, aerobic cells Overproducing Glutamate a-ketoglutarate from citric acid cycle production is increased through inhibition of a-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase which normally forms Succinyl-CoA Excess substrate is aminated via glutamate transaminase Glutamate leaves cell Induced by biotin limitation, treatment with penicillin or by addition of fatty acid ester surfactants. (0.1g - 50g/100ml) * * Bound vs free -- Excess glutamate neurotransmitter is excitotoxic -- Tastes: sweet (sugars), saltiness (sodium chloride), sourness (acids), bitterness (alkaloids), savoriness (free glutamates: often been described as savory, broth-like or meaty taste). Fermented: e.g. soy sauce, aged: e.g. cheese. Free glutamate is also is found in hydrolyzed soy protein or autolyzed yeast extract. Harmonizes with salty/sour tastes, does nothing to enhance sweet/bitter. Overuse results in food tasting worse. Laminaria is a seaweed -- Professor Kikunae Ikeda of The Un