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MSG
Monosodium glutamate (MSG), also known as sodium glutamate, is a sodium salt of glutamic acid. MSG is found naturally in some foods including tomatoes and cheese in this glutamic acid form. MSG is used in cooking as a flavor enhancer with a savory taste that intensifies the umami flavor of food, as naturally occurring glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soups. MSG was first prepared in 1908 by Japanese biochemist Kikunae Ikeda, who tried to isolate and duplicate the savory taste of ''kombu'', an edible seaweed used as a broth ('' dashi'') for Japanese cuisine. MSG balances, blends, and rounds the perception of other tastes. MSG, along with disodium ribonucleotides, is commonly used and found in stock (bouillon) cubes, soups, ramen, gravy, stews, condiments, savory snacks, etc. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given MSG its generally recognized as safe (GRAS) designation. It is a popular misconception that MSG can cause headaches and other feeling ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinese Restaurant Syndrome
Glutamate flavoring is the generic name for flavor enhancer, flavor-enhancing compounds based on glutamic acid and its salt (chemistry), salts (glutamates). These compounds provide a savory taste to food. Glutamic acid and glutamates are natural constituents of many fermentation (food), fermented or aged foods, including soy sauce, fermented bean paste, and cheese. They can also be found in hydrolyzed proteins such as yeast extract. The sodium salt of glutamic acid, monosodium glutamate (MSG), is manufactured on a large scale and widely used in the food industry. Glutamic acid versus glutamates When glutamic acid or any of its salts are dissolved in water, they form a Solution (chemistry), solution of separate anion, negative ions, called glutamates, and positive ions like hydronium, or sodium, . The result is actually a chemical equilibrium among several ionized forms, including zwitterions, that depends on the pH (acidity) of the solution. Within the common pH range of fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
