How does Glutamate Taste, and How Little is Required for us to Taste It?

Appears in
Umami: Unlocking the Secrets of the Fifth Taste

By Ole Mouritsen and Klavs Styrbæk

Published 2014

  • About

It is very difficult to carry out objective, quantitative measurements of taste perceptions, and the results of experiments depend to a great extent on the methods that are employed to do so. In this connection, it is important to understand that both the taste threshold and taste intensity come into play. Taste threshold is an expression for the minimum quantity of a substance that is needed in order for us to perceive its taste. Determining a parameter for taste intensity is more problematic, as it is highly subjective.