To elucidate the characteristics of “umami” of the bouillon extracted from boiled smoke-dried and molded bonito (Katsuodashi), in this study we compared the composition and amount of amino acids to the different kinds of fish (mackerel, sardine), and the extraction time of bouillon. As a result, bonito bouillon was characterized by anserine and carnosine, mackerel bouillon (Sabadashi) by branched-chain amino acids, and sardine bouillon (Iwashidashi) by cystathionine. Also, in Katsuobushi there was no difference in the composition and amount of amino acids between Ikkai-dashi (bouillon prepared from thick Katsuobushi) and Ichiban-dashi (bouillon prepared from sliced Katsuobushi). It was demonstrated that amino acids are extracted from sliced Katsuobushi in a short time. The amino acids contained in Katsuobushi, which is processed from raw bonito, contained 1.3 fold of that processed from frozen bonito, containing especially high concentration of anserine.
