5’-Inosinate

Within the first few months of moving to the Bay Area, I went out on a tasting spree at food spots that locals loved and recommended. Namu Gaji (now Namu Stonepot) was one of them. The kimchee okonomiyaki, a savory pancake, came topped with a layer of bonito flakes. Every bite was pure savory delight. Bonito flakes, or katsuboshi, a fermented dried product obtained by processing and fermenting skipjack tuna, owes its savoriness to 5’-inosinate. Just like glutamate, 5’-inosinate is not easily broken down during heating.