1908day.year
Ajinomoto is founded. Kikunae Ikeda of the Tokyo Imperial University discovers that a key ingredient in kombu soup stock is monosodium glutamate (MSG), and patents a process for manufacturing it.
Kikunae Ikeda patents a process to produce MSG and founds Ajinomoto, transforming global culinary seasoning.
In 1908, chemist Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo Imperial University identified monosodium glutamate (MSG) as the source of the savory "umami" taste in kombu broth.
Recognizing its culinary potential, Ikeda patented a method to mass-produce MSG and established the Ajinomoto Company.
The new seasoning rapidly gained popularity in Japan for its ability to enhance flavor in soups, sauces, and processed foods.
Ajinomoto pioneered large-scale food additive manufacturing and spurred interest in food chemistry and nutrition.
Over the decades, MSG became a ubiquitous ingredient worldwide, reshaping modern cooking practices.
Ikeda's discovery laid the groundwork for the scientific study of taste and the global umami phenomenon.
1908
Ajinomoto
Kikunae Ikeda
Tokyo Imperial University
kombu
monosodium glutamate