Taste perceived by the palate, on the tongue; it is the fifth taste that can be perceived by the taste receptors in the mouth.
It was discovered in 1908 by Kikuane Ikeda, a Japanese chemistry professor at the Imperial University of Tokyo. While carrying out research on the flavour of seaweed broth, Ikeda managed to isolate monosodium glutamate as being responsible for this taste, and called it umami.
It is naturally found in certain foods such as parmesan, tomato and soy sauce.