There are five basic tastes, the first four of which are well-known: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. The fifth basic taste is known as umami.
Umami was discovered in 1908 by the Japanese scientist Dr. Kikunae Ikeda. In 2008, we celebrated 100th anniversary of its discovery. The Umami Information Center (UIC) was established in 1982, with the support of The Umami Manufacturer’s Association of Japan , in order, to promote the global spread of information on umami. Following its establishment, in April 2007, in order to safeguard its neutrality and ensure its fairness and openness, the UIC has been accredited by a Tokyo Metropolitan Governor of the appropriate office as a Non Profit Organization (NPO).
The UIC is dedicated to the spread of accurate and beneficial information concerning umami within Japan and throughout the rest of the world.