100-Year Journey of Korean Fermented Seasonings

The Umami Revolution by MSG and Nucleotides

"A bowl of kelp broth changed the map of modern food industry"

For Koreans, fermentation was not just a preservation method but an art of taste and science. While our ancestors making jang (fermented soybean paste) during the Goguryeo era didn't know it, their wisdom became the seed of the 20th century umami taste revolution. From the moment Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda discovered the secret of glutamic acid in kelp broth in 1908, the fusion of traditional and modern flavor science rapidly accelerated. Today, Korea's fermented seasoning industry is a living history where traditional jang genetics meet advanced microbial fermentation technology.

1. Traditional Roots: Origins of Korean Fermented Seasonings

From Ancient to Modern Times

Three Kingdoms Period Beginnings

Records in Records of the Three Kingdoms mention Goguryeo people making jang. In 683 CE (3rd year of King Sinmun of Silla), jang, jeotgal (salted seafood), and alcohol were officially used in court rituals² .

Housewives' Science

Joseon-era housewives considered making jang and kimchi as "the foundation of a year's food life". While they didn't understand microbial actions, they empirically mastered optimal fermentation conditions. Jang was especially essential for ancestral rites and guest hospitality² .

Japanese Colonial Disruption

The 1909 Liquor Tax Law erased home-brewing culture, and in the 1930s, Japan attempted industrialization of jang production but failed. However, small-scale jang factories established in Incheon became the foundation for post-liberation industrialization when acquired by Koreans² .

Evolution of Korea's Representative Fermented Seasonings

Table 1: Characteristics and Modern Transformation of Korean Traditional Fermented Seasonings
Seasoning	Traditional Ingredients	Fermentation Microbes	Modern Applications
Soy Sauce	Soybeans, wheat, salt	Aspergillus oryzae	Low-salt soy sauce, MSG-enhanced soy sauce
Doenjang	Meju (fermented soybean blocks), salt	Bacillus subtilis	Functional doenjang extracts
Gochujang	Glutinous rice, chili powder	Yeast, lactic acid bacteria	Instant gochujang powder
Jeotgal	Shrimp/shellfish, salt	Marine microbes	Nucleotide extraction source

Traditional Korean fermentation jars (Onggi) used for making jang and kimchi

Modern fermentation facility for large-scale seasoning production

2. MSG: Protagonist of the Umami Revolution

From Discovery to Industrialization

1908, Kelp's Revelation

Professor Kikunae Ikeda of Tokyo University extracted glutamic acid crystals from his wife's kelp broth. He named this taste 'umami' and patented it as monosodium glutamate (MSG) in 1909¹ ³ .

Arrival in Korea

When MSG was introduced to Korea in the 1960s, it was marketed as "chemical seasoning" because 'chemical' symbolized advanced technology at the time. However, this term later contributed to negative perceptions³ .

Three Generations of Production Technology

Table 2: Evolution of MSG Production Methods
Generation	Period	Method	Limitations
1st Gen	1909-1962	Hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of wheat gluten	Unpleasant odor, impurities
2nd Gen	1962-1973	Acrylonitrile chemical synthesis	Risk of harmful residue
3rd Gen	1973-Present	Bacterial fermentation (Corynebacterium)	Eco-friendly, high purity⁴

Truths Revealed by Science

Fermentation Essence

MSG production involves fermenting sugarcane molasses with Corynebacterium to produce glutamic acid. This is fundamentally identical to soy sauce production³ .

Sodium Reduction

MSG's sodium content (12%) is 1/3 of salt (39%). Research shows MSG can reduce sodium in chicken broth by 11% and spicy soup by 32.5%¹ .

Umami Science

Our tongues detect MSG at 0.03% concentration, much lower than salt (0.2%) or sugar (0.5%), explaining its flavor-enhancing power³ .

3. Nucleotide Seasonings: The Second Umami Revolution

Flavor Synergy Effect

1913: Japanese scientist Shinoda discovered inosinic acid (IMP) in dried bonito flakes. 1920s: Guanylic acid (GMP) was found in shiitake mushrooms.

IMP or GMP alone produces weak taste, but combined with MSG creates 8x stronger umami through receptor synergy.

Pinnacle of Fermentation Technology

High-Nucleotide Yeast Extract

2000s patented technology heats yeast cell suspension at 55Â°C then treats with ribonuclease (RNase) to break down nucleic acids. After filtration and concentration, extracts with 15%+ IMP/GMP are produced.

Korean adaptation: Research is ongoing to maximize nucleotide extraction using Bacillus strains from traditional jeotgal microbes.

Table 3: Sensory Threshold Comparison of Nucleotide Seasonings
Seasoning	Minimum Detection (%)	Synergy with MSG	Main Food Sources
MSG	0.03	1.0x	Kelp, cheese
IMP	0.025	7.0x	Bonito, chicken
GMP	0.0125	8.0x	Shiitake, seaweed

Molecular structure of inosinic acid (IMP), one of the key nucleotide seasonings

4. Scientist's Toolkit: Core Materials in Fermented Seasoning Research

Developing fermented seasonings requires precise control of microbes and enzymes.

Table 4: Essential Materials and Their Functions in Fermented Seasoning Research
Material	Function	Application Example
Corynebacterium glutamicum	Converts glucose to glutamic acid	MSG production
Saccharomyces cerevisiae	Generates nucleotide precursors	Nucleotide extracts
RNA-degrading enzyme (RNase)	Hydrolyzes yeast RNA to nucleotides	IMP/GMP production
Sugarcane molasses	Fermentation substrate	MSG fermentation source
High-efficiency fermenter	Automated pH, temperature, oxygen control	Mass production systems

Corynebacterium glutamicum

The workhorse bacteria for MSG production through fermentation.

Industrial Fermenter

Precision-controlled environment for large-scale fermentation.

Sugarcane Molasses

Primary carbon source for microbial fermentation processes.

5. Future Challenges: Sustainable Evolution of Taste

Korea's fermented seasoning industry now pursues three axes: "taste+health+sustainability".

Rediscovering Tradition

Discovery of anti-cancer/immune-modulating substances in doenjang/kimchi lactic acid bacteria is redefining traditional jang as functional material sources² .

Eco-friendly Technology

MSG fermentation byproducts are recycled as fertilizer for sugarcane cultivation, establishing a circular system¹ .

Personalized Seasonings

Development of customized seasonings based on individual genetic receptor response analysis is underway.

"Koreans have created flavors through fermentation, and science will expand those flavors into the universe"

The 100-year history of fermented seasonings isn't just technological progress but a story of co-evolution between tradition and science. Microorganisms in meju (fermented soybean blocks) are being reborn in high-tech fermenters, and grandmothers' jangdokdae (fermentation jars) wisdom is being reinterpreted by AI. Our flavor exploration continues.