Monosodium glutamate

Monosodium glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, used as a flavor enhancer that contributes the savory taste known as umami.

Umami: Umami is a basic taste associated with savory, glutamate-rich foods. Monosodium glutamate supplies free glutamate, a direct source of umami taste.
Kikunae Ikeda: Kikunae Ikeda was a Japanese chemist who identified glutamate as the source of kombu’s savory taste. His research established glutamate as the basis for monosodium glutamate’s characteristic taste.
Food additive: A food additive is a substance intentionally used to affect a food’s properties or processing. Monosodium glutamate is added to foods to enhance flavor.
Sodium chloride: Sodium chloride is the chemical compound commonly known as table salt. Both provide sodium, but sodium chloride tastes salty while monosodium glutamate emphasizes savoriness.
Glutamate receptor: A glutamate receptor is a protein that detects glutamate and triggers a cellular response. Taste receptors detect glutamate and help produce the perception of umami.
Kombu: Kombu is edible kelp used in Japanese cooking, especially to make dashi broth. Ikeda investigated kombu broth when identifying the savory taste associated with glutamate.
Flavor enhancer: A flavor enhancer is a substance that intensifies or modifies the flavor of food. This is the functional role monosodium glutamate serves in many recipes and products.
Yeast extract: Yeast extract is a flavoring ingredient made from the contents of yeast cells. It supplies naturally occurring glutamate and savory flavor, but is not pure monosodium glutamate.
T1R1–T1R3: T1R1–T1R3 is a taste-receptor complex that responds to umami compounds. This receptor complex responds to glutamate, especially in combination with certain nucleotides.
Ajinomoto: Ajinomoto is a Japanese food company founded to produce and sell monosodium glutamate. The company helped commercialize Ikeda’s seasoning after its early production began in Japan.

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