Historical Events tagged with "kikunae ikeda"

Turns out history loves a label—battles, breakthroughs, and the occasional disaster, all neatly tagged for your browsing pleasure. Because sometimes you just need every weird invention in one place.

Economics & Industry

Founding of Ajinomoto and MSG Patenting

July 25th, 1908 116 years ago

Kikunae Ikeda, a professor at Tokyo Imperial University, discovered that monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the key flavor enhancer in kombu soup stock. He patented a method for manufacturing MSG, leading to the establishment of the Ajinomoto company, which would become a major player in the food industry. This innovation marked a significant development in food science, allowing the umami flavor to be utilized commercially and paving the way for MSG's widespread use in various cuisines around the world.

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