*Mono Sodium Glutamate* `MSG` `C5H8NO4Na`
aka *Ajinomoto, Taste Powder, E621*
It’s a flavor enhancer made from fermented sugar cane, corn, or cassava. Naturally, glutamate is already in tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms, and meat.
# *Main Uses*
# *1. Food & Cooking*
- *Flavor enhancer*: Brings out "umami" - the 5th taste. That savory, meaty, deep flavor.
- *Used in*: Soups, noodles, chips, seasonings, canned food, sauces, meat marinades, restaurant food
- *How it works*: Doesn’t add its own strong taste. It makes other flavors taste stronger and more balanced.
- *Common in*: Maggi, soy sauce, stock cubes, instant noodles
# *2. Why chefs and food factories use it*
1. *Boosts flavor* with very little salt
2. *Cheap* compared to using lots of meat/mushrooms
3. *Stable* - doesn’t break down