July 2024

On July 17, 2024, the Umami Information Center (UIC) presented a lecture on umami at the 2024 National Convention of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), a national federation of culinary professionals, in Arizona, the United States.

ACF is the largest chefs' organization across the United States with more than 170 locations and more than 14,000 members. It has a significant influence in the U.S. culinary industry and provides member chefs with the latest information about the U.S. culinary industry, including culinary events, certifications, publications, etc.

Dr. Kumiko Ninomiya, the consultant of the UIC, was invited by the federation to give it a scientific lecture on umami at its annual meeting, the National Convention 2024.
In her lecture, titled “Umami in healthy diets and it's function,” Dr. Ninomiya instructed participants to taste a piece of dried cherry tomato and carefully identify the different tastes contained in it so that they could perceive umami.

When the participants were able to detect the taste, she explained to them that umami is widely found in foods around the world and that it plays a role in our health.
Then she had the participants taste three types of low-sodium vegetable soup, one with glutamate (umami substance – amino acid), one with glutamate and inosinate & guanylate (umami substances - ribonucleotides), and the other without any umami substances, to help them understand that addition of umami substances makes food tastier even though the sodium content is greatly reduced.

It was the first time for UIC giving a lecture to ACF.
We will continue to disseminate scientific, correct knowledge and useful information about umami to the US culinary industry through collaborations with leading chefs and by providing attractive contents.