To create good, affordable seasonings and turn simple but nutritious fare into delicacies.

These are the words of Dr. Kikunae Ikeda, the Japanese scientist who discovered the taste umami over a century ago. Ikeda determined that the main component of umami is glutamic acid, one of the amino acids. Ikeda’s desire to improve diets in Japan at the time, and his wish “to make simple food a bit more tasty,” led to the invention of the umami seasoning AJI-NO-MOTO® that enhances the deliciousness of ingredients.