How much do you know about glutamate sodium?

What is MSG and how was it discovered?

Sodium glutamate. In 1908, Professor Kikuo Ikeda of Japan used the method of water extraction and crystallization to separate glutamate from kelp and make a new type of seasoning, and named its taste Umami (umami).

Kikuo Ikeda noticed that both Japanese wooden fish and kelp fish soups had a particular taste, which he had not described scientifically at the time, and which was distinct from sweet, salty, sour, and bitter flavors. To prove that ionized glutamate is responsible for this umami, Professor Ikeda studied a number of taste properties of glutamate salts, including glutamate salts of calcium, potassium, ammonium, and magnesium. This umami is formed by all salts except for a certain metallic taste produced by other minerals. Of these salts, sodium glutamate is the most soluble, has the best taste, and is easy to crystallize. Professor Ikeda named this product sodium glutamate and patented it for the production of MSG.

Is sodium glutamate toxic?

Toxicity: Consuming monosodium glutamate does not cause any harm to health within the normal range, but eating too much can cause some people to experience headaches, redness, sweating, facial compression or swelling, numbness in the mouth or around the mouth, burning in the stomach and chest pain. After poisoning, 50 milligrams of vitamin B6 can be taken orally every day to relieve symptoms. Sodium glutamate forms sodium pyroglutamate at a temperature of 120 ° C. It is generally believed that sodium pyroglutamate not only has a low taste, but also has a certain toxicity and is a carcinogen. However, scientists have found through experimental studies that sodium pyroglutamate can improve people's memory and is not a carcinogen.

What should I pay attention to when adding MSG?

From the perspective of taste, you should also pay attention to the temperature when adding monosodium glutamate, 70~ 90 ° C is appropriate. Cooking vegetables is generally added before dishes come out of the pot, in order to prevent dehydration to form sodium pyroglutamate and lose umami; while cold dishes should be placed early to fully dissolve. In addition, the appropriate concentration of monosodium glutamate is 0.2% to 0.5%, so you should also pay attention to the appropriate amount when adding. First, do not suppress the original taste of dishes. Second, excessive intake of monosodium glutamate is not beneficial to the body. The reason is the same as salt, monosodium glutamate contains sodium, and patients with hypertension should not eat more.

Product parameters

Parameter name	Parameter value
Appearance	Colorless clear viscous liquid
aroma	has a strong ether-like odor

After reading this tweet, I wonder if everyone's opinion on MSG has changed?