Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a popular food additive recognized for its distinct umami flavor. Found in many processed foods and various cuisines, it's a topic...
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a sodium salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid naturally found in many foods. It's used as a food additive to enhance savory flavors, often referred to as 'umami'.
Most major food safety organizations, including the U.S. FDA, generally recognize MSG as safe (GRAS) for consumption. Extensive research has not found a definitive link between MSG and serious health issues for the general population.
Historically, some people have reported temporary symptoms like headache, sweating, flushing, heart palpitations, and numbness after consuming MSG. However, scientific studies have struggled to consistently reproduce these reactions under controlled conditions.
MSG is naturally present in foods like tomatoes, cheeses, mushrooms, and soy sauce. As an additive, it's commonly found in processed foods such as instant noodles, snacks, canned soups, processed meats, and restaurant dishes.