Kikunae Ikeda

Quick Facts: Who was Kikunae Ikeda?

Subject:

Kikunae Ikeda

Known for:

Pioneering chemist who discovered and named the fifth basic taste, umami.

Born:

1864-10-08

Died:

1936-05-03

Century / Era:

1864s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Kikunae Ikeda (池田 菊苗, Ikeda Kikunae; 8 October 1864 – 3 May 1936) was a Japanese chemist and Tokyo Imperial University professor of chemistry who, in 1908, uncovered the chemical basis of a taste he named umami. It is one of the five basic tastes along with sweet, bitter, sour and salty. Ikeda graduated in 1889 from Tokyo Imperial University in chemistry. In 1891, he became a professor at the Higher Normal School of Tokyo, in 1896 he became an associate professor at Tokyo Imperial University. From 1899, Prof. Ikeda studied in Germany for two years at the laboratory of Prof. Friedrich Wilhelm Ostwald at the University of Leipzig, which was then the center of physical chemistry.

Career & Major Achievements

After a brief stay in London, he returned to Tokyo in 1901 and became a full professor in chemistry at Tokyo Imperial University. In 1907 at the Tokyo Imperial University in Japan, Ikeda was eating dinner with his family when he suddenly stopped. That day the dashi broth in his soup was more delicious than normal; after stirring a few times he realized the difference was the umami flavor from the addition of kombu, a species of brown macroalgae, and flakes of fish known as katsuobushi. He understood that kombu was the secret to that flavor, and from that day on he studied the chemical composition of kelp. Some noted that the taste of the umami is similar to the flavor of the haute cuisine that the French chef Auguste Escoffier created.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

By 1908, he had isolated brown crystals of glutamic acid (glutamate) which conveyed the characteristic flavor. The chemical monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the chemical basis for the umami flavor. He chose to call it Ajinomoto (味の素; "essence of flavor"). By 1909 he had developed a process for mass-producing MSG. He was able to extract MSG from wheat and defatted soybean, and patented the process for its manufacture.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1864 (1864-10-08): Birth of Kikunae Ikeda — Pioneering chemist who discovered and named the fifth basic taste, umami.
2. 1889: 1889 Milestone — Ikeda graduated in 1889 from Tokyo Imperial University in chemistry.
3. 1891: 1891 Milestone — In 1891, he became a professor at the Higher Normal School of Tokyo, in 1896 he became an associate professor at Tokyo Imperial University.
4. 1901: 1901 Milestone — After a brief stay in London, he returned to Tokyo in 1901 and became a full professor in chemistry at Tokyo Imperial University.
5. 1907: 1907 Milestone — In 1907 at the Tokyo Imperial University in Japan, Ikeda was eating dinner with his family when he suddenly stopped.
6. 1908: 1908 Milestone — By 1908, he had isolated brown crystals of glutamic acid (glutamate) which conveyed the characteristic flavor.
7. 1909: 1909 Milestone — By 1909 he had developed a process for mass-producing MSG.
8. 1936 (1936-05-03): Passing & Historical Legacy — Kikunae Ikeda passed away on 1936-05-03, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Kikunae Ikeda

True or False: “The initial discovery of umami was solely attributed to the addition of fish flakes (katsuobushi) in dashi broth.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While katsuobushi was key, Ikeda realized the flavor difference was due to kombu (brown macroalgae) as well.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Kikunae Ikeda