Ikeda / was a food chemist.
He decided to use / his knowledge / and skills / as a chemist.
He wanted to know / exactly / what this fifth taste was.
He went to work / in his laboratory / and found the answer / - glutamate.
Glutamate / is an amino acid / that is produced / when living things / begin to die.
For example, / the production of glutamate happens / when cheese ages / or meat cooks.
Its taste / is very different / from the other four tastes.
Ikeda decided / to call the taste umami.
This comes / from a Japanese word / that means / “delicious.’’