John Myers
Igama lesiJapane elithi umami lichaza ukunambitheka okwehlukile kokune okujwayelekile okunambitheka okumnandi, okusawoti, okumuncu, nokubabayo. I-Umami ivame kakhulu ekudleni okucebile ngamaprotheni. Ikhwalithi yokunambitheka ichazwa njengenhliziyo-inamandla, futhi inyama. Nokho, alinakuqhathaniswa nephunga elinosawoti omningi. Khonamanjalo, sekufakazelwe ngokwesayensi ukuthi ngaphezu kwama-receptors amnandi, amuncu, anosawoti, kanye namaqunube okubabayo kweumami akhona nasemlonyeni womuntu.
I-Umami iqondiswa yi-amino acid glutamate, etholakala ngokuyinhloko ekudleni okunamaprotheni amaningi njengenyama, inhlanzi, noshizi. Kodwa amakhowe notamatisi ovuthiwe noma omisiwe nawo aqukethe i-umami-mediating. Ngendlela ye-flavour enhancer monosodium glutamate, i-umami manje isisetshenziswa embonini yokudla ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukunambitheka kokudla. Isosi ye-soy, isoso yenhlanzi, isitoko, umhluzi, inyama, i-yeast extract, nembewu yesilimo esidliwayo esinamagatsha anamanzi kuqukethe inani elikhulu kakhulu le-glutamate. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-flavour carrier ikhona nasobisini lwebele lomuntu.
Igama elithi umami lasungulwa ngo-1908 ngusokhemisi waseJapan u-Ikeda Kikunae, owayefunda ngekhwalithi yokunambitheka kwe-alga Laminaria japonica. Eyaziwa ngokuthi i-kombu e-Japan, lolu hlobo lwe-seaweed luphezulu ku-monosodium glutamate futhi lusetshenziselwa ukunambitheka isobho "Ezweni LeLanga Eliphumayo". Igama lesiJapane elithi “umami” lakhiwe izingxenye “umai” kanye “mi” futhi elihunyushwe lisho into efana “nokunambitheka” noma “okumnandi nokubabayo”.
