# Is Umami a fifth taste?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-umami-a-fifth-taste/332922>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 27, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-umami-a-fifth-taste/332922 "2005-11-27T15:21:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dead\_Battery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@Dead\_Battery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Battery)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-umami-a-fifth-taste/332922/1 "2005-11-27T15:21:58Z")

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I came across this website [http://www.truthinlabeling.org/index.html](http://www.truthinlabeling.org/index.html) while looking for information on e ingredient numbers, and, well, it looks a little whacked to me. Is it a parody site or are they really trying to push that MSG is a) so very dangerous b) added to just about everything by the “glutamate industry”?

It made me laugh anyway. I’m assuming it’s rubbish.

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-umami-a-fifth-taste/332922/2 "2005-11-27T15:26:49Z")

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Discussed in our Archives, in a Staff Report: [Besides sweet, sour, etc., is there a fifth taste sensation, “umami”?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mumami.html)