Why we enjoy food
The flavor of food is due mostly to how it tastes and smells. When you eat, the most immediate sensation is taste. But you actually smell food, too. If you hold your nose while you eat, you will notice that some foods will taste different.
There are five taste sensations: sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and umami. The umami taste was formally recognized in 1985 after scientists debated for a long time about whether umami was a basic taste. In 1985, they agreed that umami was the fifth basic taste. It is associated with savory foods, which include meat, tomatoes, and a food additive called monosodium glutamate.