Monosodium Glutamate

Description

monosodium glutamate (msg), also called monosodium l-glutamate or
sodium glutamate, white crystalline substance, a sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid, that is used to intensify the natural
flavour of certain foods. monosodium glutamate (msg) is an important ingredient in the cuisines of china and japan and is used
commercially in broths, soups, canned and frozen vegetables, flavoring and spice blends, gravies, meats, poultry, and sauces and in
other combinations. it is also used to enhance the taste of and has been used medically to treat hepatic coma. the substance is
naturally present at high levels in tomatoes and parmesan cheese

Monosodium glutamate is found naturally in tomatoes, cheese
and other foods. MSG is used in the food industry as a flavor enhancer with an umami taste that intensifies the meaty, savory flavor of
food, as naturally occurring glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soups

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), also known as
sodium glutamate, is the sodium salt of glutamic acid. MSG is found naturally in some foods including tomatoes and cheese.]

MSG
is used in cooking as a flavor enhancer with an umami taste that intensifies the meaty, savory flavor of food, as naturally occurring
glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soup

Use

Pure MSG is reported to not have a highly pleasant taste until it is
combined with a savory aroma.The basic sensory function of MSG is attributed to its ability to enhance savory taste-active compounds
when added in the proper concentration.The optimum concentration varies by food; in clear soup, the “pleasure score” rapidly falls
with the addition of more than one gram of MSG per 100 mL.

The sodium content (in mass percent) of MSG, 12%, is about one-third
of that in sodium chloride (39%), due to the greater mass of the glutamate counterion.Although other salts of glutamate have been used
in low-salt soups, they are less palatable than MSG. “MSG might even promote healthy eating, [food scientist Steve Witherly]
hypothesizes, by not only making kale more delicious but also letting you get away with using less salt.”