Background:　Tea,　celebrated　for　its　delightful　flavors　and　health　benefits,　is　a　globally　cherished　beverage.　Umami　taste　is　an　essential　contributor　to　its　flavor　profile　and　its　perception　mechanism　is　crucial　for　enhancing　the　taste　quality　of　tea.　The　exploration　of　individual　physiological　and　emotional　responses　to　gustatory　signals　through　physiological　measurement　techniques　makes　it　possible　to　decode　the　mechanisms　underlying　umami　perception.　Scope　and　approach:　This　article　focuses　on　the　umami　taste　of　tea,　providing　a　comprehensive　review　of　the　umami　substances　and　the　influencing　factors.　It　discusses　the　umami　perception　mechanism　from　the　perspectives　of　both　umami-contributing　and　umami-enhancing　aspects.　Additionally,　the　paper　explores　the　application　prospects　of　physiological　measurement　technologies　in　decoding　umami　perception.　This　review　aims　to　provide　new　analytical　strategies　for　decoding　umami　and　other　taste　perceptions.　Key　findings　and　conclusions:　Umami　is　one　of　the　important　sensory　attributes　contributing　to　the　taste　of　tea　products.　The　umami　taste　in　tea　is　predominantly　mediated　by　amino　acids　such　as　L-theanine,　L-glutamic　acid,　and　L-aspartic　acid,　with　additional　contributions　from　compounds　like　succinic　acid　and　methylated　catechins.　The　interaction　of　these　umami　compounds　with　the　T1R1/T1R3　receptor　complex　involves　a　suite　of　molecular　forces,　including　hydrogen　bonding,　hydrophobic　interactions,　van　der　Waals　forces,　and　electrostatic　interactions,　which　are　essential　for　the　stability　and　functionality　of　ligand-receptor　binding.　Neuroimaging　and　electrophysiological　studies　have　further　elucidated　the　neural　basis　of　umami　perception,　providing　a　comprehensive　understanding　of　the　sensory　input　to　cognitive　processing　associated　with　this　taste　modality.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd