Events
Glutamate and Umami Seminar
The seminar was organised by the Taiwan Association for Food Science and Technology and the Taiwan Amino Acid Manufacturers Association, and co-sponsored by the International Glutamate Technical Committee. The seminar attracted a large audience of academics, students, government officials, doctors, nutritionists, culinary experts and the media.
The audience was addressed by Prof. Takashi Yamamoto, from Kio University in Japan, who provided a briefing on umami taste, its character, discovery and importance in modern cooking. He also described the possibilities for using glutamate-rich seasonings, such as yeast extracts and monosodium glutamate, to reduce sodium intake with no loss in the palatability.
Prof. Kuo-Shyan Lu (National Taiwan University) discussed taste transmission in humans and why the presence of umami taste is an important element of the pleasure we take in food.
Prof. Emeritus Yuan-Chi Su also from the National Taiwan University focused on the local production of glutamate and its use in food.
The seminar is one of a series being undertaken around the world to build understanding of the role of glutamate and umami taste in nutrition and in the body.
The seminar was organised by the Taiwan Association for Food Science and Technology and the Taiwan Amino Acid Manufacturers Association, and co-sponsored by the International Glutamate Technical Committee. The seminar attracted a large audience of academics, students, government officials, doctors, nutritionists, culinary experts and the media.
The audience was addressed by Prof. Takashi Yamamoto, from Kio University in Japan, who provided a briefing on umami taste, its character, discovery and importance in modern cooking. He also described the possibilities for using glutamate-rich seasonings, such as yeast extracts and monosodium glutamate, to reduce sodium intake with no loss in the palatability. Prof. Kuo-Shyan Lu (National Taiwan University) discussed taste transmission in humans and why the presence of umami taste is an important element of the pleasure we take in food. Prof. Emeritus Yuan-Chi Su also from the National Taiwan University focused on the local production of glutamate and its use in food. John Fernstom, Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (USA) underlined the safety and physiological importance of umami substances. Prof. Fernstrom stressed that most of the dietary glutamate we consume is used as fuel by the cells of the digestive system.
The seminar is one of a series being undertaken around the world to build understanding of the role of glutamate and umami taste in nutrition and in the body.
