Islands Test Kitchen: Umami; the misunderstood ingredient

Back then, it was called vetsin and now it's preferred to be called umami as what they refered to be more "politically correct" term.

Since then till now, umami or vetsin is "labeled" as harmful to use in our food. But what really umami is, why this salt like ingredient that everyone uses at their home or even in the restaurants has a connotation to be harmful or even fatal to one's health? According to google, Umami is the fifth taste, not salty or sweet, not bitter or sour but it gives a palatable or savory taste to food, or in pilipino this is what we called malasa. One of the hoax that we know about vetsin or msg, that this ingredient can cause cancer. This has been debunked by scientist and food experts worldwide. Glutamate is safe in all forms, whether msg or naturally found.

Umami is naturally found in some foods like, mushroom, tomatoes, soy sauce, cheese, ketchup and here in the

Philippines

you can found it in bagoong. So, if you want your recipe to have a natural savory taste, just add these ingredients and you will find the difference. Umami taste is hard to distinguish, but try the below experiment and you will understand better what umami is all about. To wrap up, Umami is the savory taste. Umami is Safe.

Umami Kitchen Test

Kumuha ng isang cup na malutong, mabango at bagong luto na french fries. Kainin ito at namnamin ang sarap, may napapansin ka ba? yes, maghahanap ka ng ketchup para mas lalong maging malasa ang kinakain mo. Yan ang umami, ang malasang lasa na hinahanap naten sa pagkain.