Everyday Umami in Ancient Greece and Rome

Even though fresh fish and shellfish are good sources of umami, their effectiveness is greatly enhanced by drying or fermenting them. In fact, fermented fish contain more inosinate than any other foodstuff. From time immemorial, people in many parts of the world have been making them into sauces and pastes for use as taste enhancers. In Europe, the earliest known example is a traditional fish sauce that was greatly valued by the ancient Greeks and Romans as a universal condiment. It is indisputably the oldest additive used in the West to impart umami.