鲜味的尴尬

The Dilemma of Umami

鲜味是中国人(实际上包括整个东北亚)追求美食的重要风味指标,与中国医药完全没有关系。西学东渐以来,近代科学对鲜味的认识处于尴尬境界,东亚食品学者以鲜味为基本味,发现和发明了数种鲜味物质并发展成食品添加剂的重要门类,但是对鲜味物质分子的结构特征至今没有形成系统的认识,更缺乏必要的实验依据。解决问题的关键还有赖于生物化学家、生理学家和食品学家的科学实践。

Umami is an important index for Chinese people （actually including whole North Asia） to judge the flavor of food and it has nothing to with Chinese medicine. With the introduction of western knowledge, mod- em science runs into dilemma in the recognition of umami. Taking umami as a basic flavor, food scientists in East Asia discovered and invented flavor substances of various kinds and developed them into major food additives. But there has been no systematic recognition of molecular structure of flavor substance and necessary exeriment proof available so far. Solutions mainly rely on the biologists, physiologists and food scientists for new explorations in their scientific practice.