On the Pacific Ocean side of Japan there is a three-way deadlock between sardines, mackerel and Pacific saury. There is a theory that the species take turns with increasing and decreasing populations. In recent years there has been an increase in sardines and, in turn, there has been a decline in Pacific saury.
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Revision date: July 30, 2018
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When fish die, stopping the supply of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the source of muscle energy, the muscle fibers gradually harden. As time passes, it gently dissolves and the ATP breaks down, changing into umami components due to self-digestion.
ATP is broken down as follows, but in living fish, only the reaction up to AMP occurs. Once broken down to AMP, it is regenerated as ATP.
ATP→Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)→Adenosine monophosphate (AMP)→inosinic acid (IMP)→hypoxanthine riboside (HxR)→Hypoxanthine (Hx)
In fish after death, inosine monophosphate (IMP) is produced from AMP by an enzyme called adenosine deaminase (ADA). This is called maturing. Inosine monophosphate is not found in cells immediately after death. Maturation is required for the production of inosine monophosphate. If it goes further, it will go bad and HxR (inosine) and Hx (hypoxanthine) will be produced.
The umami created by self-digestion of ATP is “maturing (Jukusei)” and the process after that is “rotting.”
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Revision date: March 17, 2025
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Foods made to go well with alcohol like ‘shiokara’ salted fish parts or dried mullet roe, don’t go well with shari (vinegar rice). Also, restaurants mainly serving alcohol and foods to pair with it are either bars or Japanese cuisine restaurants that may also serve sushi, but not Edo-style sushi. Many years ago sushi chefs would even get angry saying things like, “Sushi restaurants are not bars. If you want to drink, go next door!” Even Rosanjin wrote, “Sushi restaurants that served alcohol first appeared after WWII. Before the war sushi was served with tea.” In other words, Edo-style sushi restaurants originally didn’t serve alcohol. Perhaps it is true that the increase in sushi restaurants that feel like bars is a natural progression with time.
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Revision date: July 9, 2018
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