The fifth taste, the other four being salty, sweet, sour and bitter. "Discovered" and named by Kikunae Ikeda around the beginning of the 20th century. Nirupa Chaudari of the Miami School of Medicine published in February, 2000 in "Nature Neuroscience" a study that proves its existence. Some tastebuds have a molecule which acts as a receptor for L-glutamate, which is a marker for high-protein foods, and thus sought out by many animals including humans. MonoSodium Glutamate (msg) is of course a tasty source of umami but so is parmesan cheese.