monosodium glutamate
Savory flavor additive
Monosodium glutamate is a sodium salt of glutamic acid, used as a flavor enhancer in cooking.
It intensifies savory, meaty tastes—what the Japanese call umami.
Abbreviated MSG, it appears in processed foods, restaurant cooking, and Asian cuisines.
Despite persistent claims that MSG causes headaches or other symptoms, scientific studies have not confirmed these effects in controlled settings.
Appetizing, not sweet
- brothClear simmered meat liquid
- meatyRich in content
- richnessState of abundance
- depthDistance below surface
soy sauce · mushroom · tomato · cheese · fermentation · seaweed · anchovy · dashi
Substance improving taste
- seasoningSubstance improving food taste
- processed foodIndustrially manufactured edibles
- stock cubeCondensed seasoning for soups
- instant noodlesFast-cooking dried pasta
snack foods · fast food · soup base · food manufacturing · formulation
Cranial pain
- sensitivityResponsiveness to stimuli
- allergic reactionImmune system's hostile response
- food labelingProduct ingredient disclosure system
- clean labelHonest product information
debate · FDA · health concerns · additive-free · misinformation
Microbial sugar conversion
- synthesisCombining parts into whole
- manufacturingIndustrial product creation
- industrialOf factories and production
- sugarcaneSucrose-yielding tropical grass
tapioca · corn starch · 1908 · patent · commercial production · extraction
savory
Appetizing, not sweet
depth · soy sauce · mushroom · tomato · cheese · fermentation · seaweed · anchovy · dashi · parmesan
flavor enhancer
Substance improving taste
- seasoningSubstance improving food taste
- processed foodIndustrially manufactured edibles
- stock cubeCondensed seasoning for soups
instant noodles · snack foods · fast food · soup base · food manufacturing · formulation
headache
Cranial pain
- sensitivityResponsiveness to stimuli
- allergic reactionImmune system's hostile response
- food labelingProduct ingredient disclosure system
clean label · debate · FDA · health concerns · additive-free · misinformation
fermentation
Microbial sugar conversion
- synthesisCombining parts into whole
- manufacturingIndustrial product creation
- industrialOf factories and production
sugarcane · tapioca · corn starch · 1908 · patent · commercial production · extraction
- food additivesemulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, colorants, calcium silicate, lecithin
- GlutamatesMSG
- glutamateMSG, umami
- aroma chemicalsvanillin, limonene, menthol, benzaldehyde, camphor
monosodium glutamatetastelessness
Lack of aesthetic judgment
blandness · unseasoned · plain · unflavored
monosodium glutamatewhole foods
Unrefined, unprocessed edibles
additive-free · natural ingredients · farm-to-table · clean eating · preservative-free
monosodium glutamatesugar
Crystalline carbohydrate sweetener
sucrose · sweeteners · table salt · quinine · citric acid
sodium, glutamate, monosodium, glutamine, monophonic, monologue, monotone, monocle, monopoly