Uncovering the secrets of seaweed's deliciousness through science

Introduction

Nori seaweed is an essential part of Japanese food culture, whether it's eaten with rice, used as a filling for onigiri rice balls, or used in hand-rolled sushi. Not only is it highly nutritious, it also has a deep umami flavor.

This time, we will thoroughly explain the secret behind the delicious flavor of seaweed from a scientific perspective.

First of all, what is "umami"?

"Umami" is one of the basic tastes

When we hear the phrase "umami," we tend to think it's a matter of personal preference or intuition, but this is a mistake. Umami is one of the basic tastes, and it has been scientifically discovered to be a type of amino acid.

The tastes that humans perceive are divided into five categories: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami.

These tastes are detected by small organs on the tongue called taste buds, and when food containing flavor comes into contact with a taste bud, it is classified as one of the five tastes listed above, and taste information such as "sweet," "bitter," or "delicious" is transmitted to the brain.

In the past, it was said that humans could sense four tastes, excluding umami. Nowadays, it is known worldwide as "UMAMI" written in the Roman alphabet, but umami was only properly defined about 100 years ago. Compared to the other basic tastes, umami is a fairly recent development.

"Umami" originated in Japan

Umami, found in abundance in meat, seafood, and vegetables, enhances the deliciousness of food and stimulates the appetite.

Japanese people have long used dashi stock made from boiled bonito and kelp in their cooking, and as a result have been familiar with the rich flavor and full-bodied taste of ingredients long before the word "umami" was even coined.

It was in 1908 that the true nature of this mysterious thing, something that no one knew what to call it but which enhances the flavor of food, was discovered to be an "umami component."

Professor Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo Imperial University, while researching kelp stock, discovered that the true nature of umami is due to glutamic acid, an amino acid found in large quantities in kelp, and coined the term umami. Subsequent research has revealed that the three most representative umami substances are glutamic acid, inosinic acid, and guanylic acid.

Incidentally, Dr. Ikeda invented and patented a method for manufacturing a seasoning whose main ingredient is glutamic acid. This seasoning was later commercialized as "Ajinomoto" and is now widely used around the world.

Three types of umami substances contained in seaweed

It has been discovered that seaweed contains all three of the following umami substances:

1. Glutamic Acid

This is the most basic umami component found in seaweed such as kelp. 170-1350mg per 100g of roasted seaweed

2. Inosinic acid

It is a umami component found in seafood and animal foods, and has a stronger umami flavor than glutamic acid. 1-40 mg per 100 g of roasted seaweed.

3. Guanylic Acid

This umami component is found in large quantities in mushrooms, and its synergistic effect with glutamic acid and inosinic acid enhances the umami flavor. 3-80 mg per 100 g of roasted seaweed

Why Nori is Delicious

As mentioned above, nori seaweed contains all three of the major umami components: glutamic acid found in kelp, inosinic acid found in seafood such as bonito flakes, and guanylic acid found in mushrooms such as dried shiitake. This is what gives nori its umami flavor.

Moreover, it is known that when two or more of these umami ingredients are combined, the umami flavor is amplified more than when each ingredient is used alone. This is why nori, which contains three types of umami ingredients, is so delicious.

This can also be seen from the fact that "combined bonito and kelp dashi" has become popular in recent years. By making dashi from ingredients with different umami components, such as bonito flakes containing inosinic acid and kelp containing glutamic acid, rather than using only one type of umami, a synergistic effect of umami is created, making the umami taste stronger.

summary

What did you think? The secret to the deliciousness of seaweed is that it contains all three of the main umami components: glutamic acid, inosinic acid, and guanylic acid. Seaweed is the only natural food that contains all of these.

These umami components, along with the unique seashore aroma of nori, create a deep and rich flavor. What do you think? Are you starting to feel like enjoying the deliciousness of nori?