Which of the following is NOT considered a basic taste?

The answer is correct because "savory," often associated with umami, is indeed a distinct taste but is not traditionally classified among the basic tastes. In taste science, the basic tastes are typically defined as sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Sweetness corresponds to sugars, salts to sodium ions, sourness to hydrogen ions, and bitterness to a variety of toxic compounds. Umami, or savory, refers to the taste of glutamate and nucleotides, which adds depth to flavor, but its classification has evolved more recently and may not align with the foundational tastes traditionally taught in basic taste theory.

Thus, while savory is an essential component of flavor, it is not considered one of the classical basic tastes in the context of the question. This distinction is important for understanding the framework of taste perception in psychology and gastronomy.