Research on salt reduction and umami recognition applying umami enhancement effect of umami of volatile soup stock

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K21273
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Eating habits; Basic / Social brain science
• Research Institution: Kanagawa University of Human Services
• Principal Investigator: TOKUNAGA Miki 神奈川県立保健福祉大学, 保健福祉学部, 助教 (90610238)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: うま味 / だし揮発性成分

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examined the enhancement effect of the volatile fractions of niboshi soup stock and salt using a sensory evaluation and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The umami intensity in the volatile fractions of soup stock added with 6 g/L of sodium chloride was greater than that of the other solutions. The enhancement effect of the umami perception of the volatile fractions of soup stock and salt might be due to the activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the superior temporal gyrus and the orbitofrontal cortex in the brain.

Free Research Field

食生活

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

だしの揮発性成分と塩とのうま味の増強効果の機序を神経科学的に明らかにすることは、うま味認知の一助となると考えている。社会的意義として、うま味を惹起するだしの揮発性成分と塩とのうま味の増強効果を食品に応用することで、うま味を保ちつつ減塩が可能となる可能性があると考えている。