A natural part of our food

There are two forms of glutamate. Glutamate exists in the "bound" form as a part of protein, along with other amino acids. It can also be found in the "free" form in plant and animal tissues. It is free glutamate which plays a role in the palatability and acceptability of foods. Foods which contain high levels of free glutamate, such as cheese and ripe tomatoes, are often chosen for their distinctive and enjoyable flavors.

A Tradition

Of all the foods and seasonings that are rich in glutamate, fish sauce goes back the furthest. In the Greek and Roman civilizations of antiquity, fish sauce was widely used as a seasoning. Like wine and edible oil, it was an important commodity. Trade in fish sauce used as a seasoning dates back to around the seventh century BC.

The ruins of many large fish-pickling factories have been unearthed along the Mediterranean coastline. There were more than one hundred factories, and the fish sauce was shipped in tall vessels called amphorae. Archaeological finds have unveiled amphorae inscribed with details of the product´s grade, its manufacturer and the ingredients used. A seventh century list of seasonings names this fish sauce "Garum". Records dating back to the year 968 tell us that the Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II entertained Pope Otto I´s messenger with roast lamb dressed with onion, leek and Garum. In the eleventh century, however, Garum disappeared from the European table. The recipe, however, was handed down, and Garum came to be viewed in some monasteries as a "secret medicine" with an appetite-enhancing effect. Salty fish sauce can thus lay claim to more than 2,500 years of history. This makes it the oldest umami seasoning in the world.

Free Glutamate in Seasonings   mg/100g Anchovy sauce 630 Bovril 498 Oyster sauce 900 Soy sauce 782 Nam pra (fish sauce) 950

Today, the human appetite and predilection for the amino acid taste is as strong and healthy as ever. In modern Italy, it is glutamate that contributes to the appealing taste of tomato sauces that accompany the country´s famous pasta dishes and pizzas. Glutamate is present in meat extracts (such as Bovril) in western countries and in the seaweed and dried fish which are used to make soup stocks and soy sauce in Japan.