Umami and the MSG Controversy – Cooks Know the Power of the Taste, But Are the Ingredients Safe?

Umami has only recently been accepted as our fifth taste, although cooks and food companies have been exploiting it for years. And while the ingredients that trigger umami sensations come from natural, healthful sources, such as soy, seaweed, asparagus, and tomatoes, they are referred to as “silent killers” on many websites. The Food and Drug Administration designated the ingredients as safe decades ago, but the agency continues to receive reports of adverse effects.