Umami from Land Animals: Meat, Eggs, and Dairy Products

In general, there are more free amino acids in the foodstuffs that are made from the organisms that grow in the earth than there are in those derived from the animals that live on it. On the other hand, animalbased foods are good sources of inosinate, which interacts synergistically to signal the presence of proteins. The umami content of meat and dairy products can be strengthened dramatically by preparing them in certain ways or by fermentation and curing. In particular, both simmering meat and bones over long periods of time and fermenting milk result in an abundance of umami.